Fate Ingens Cor
by Ten-Faced Paladin
Summary: Magic the likes the Ministry of Magic has never seen before has been invoked. Seven Masters are chosen, fighting for either the Dark or the Light. Their struggles will lead to more than just the Heaven's Feel, but the fate of Wizarding Society as a whole.
1. Here There be Heroes

I do not own Harry Potter or Fate/Stay Night. They belong to their respective creators and not me. I am not writing this for any kind of profit and am merely writing for fun so no one get the funny idea to sue me out of this.

Fate/Ingens Cor

By Ten-Faced Paladin

Chapter 1: Here There be Heroes

**Malfoy Manor**

The Dark Lord, known as Voldemort (born as Tom Riddle) was not famous for his patience. He was famous for his intelligence, his power, his ingenuity, his ideals, his tactics, and most of all his cruelty. Out of these traits and more, patience was not one of them. He was a man of grand ambition along with the desire and the power to see his mission through to the end. Still, his impatience stemmed from his minions who time after time seemed completely incapable of doing anything beyond, murder, maim, and kill. Anything higher than that seemed to be beyond their petty reasoning. Still, they had powerful magic and they were Purebloods. Mix both those qualifications in with loyal and that was good enough for him. Still, if he needed anything of any true magic to be done, Voldemort was often of the mindset of 'if you want something done right, do it yourself'. Such was the case for the events he was seeing to in his current lodgings.

His current lodgings were in fact the main ballroom of Malfoy Manor. It had been converted into a throne room of sorts with a connecting master chambers for his personal use for anything deem fit. Nothing but the best was given to him be it food, drink, materials, or the most loyal of house elves. Lucius may have been a snivelling backstabber when the tides turned, but never let it be said he held fast to his true loyalties and made sure proper respect was paid. Voldemort had currently banished all of the furniture from his throne room, leaving nothing but a few candles in the air to illuminate everything. His inner circle of Death Eaters were all in attendance, assisting him where they could. He didn't dare trust them with any of the more important aspects of what he was about to do. That one iota of faith went to the one man who was looking through a very thick tome and marking on the floor the circles which would be needed.

Lars Von Einzbern was a new recruit into the ranks of the Death Eaters. He was of typical German stock with blonde hair and blue eyes, making him seem rather unremarkable in all senses of the word. He was a bastard son from the Einzbern Family, a highly respectable family of magic users from Germany. He was accepted by the family, but in name only. He had to work, scrounge, and beg for any and all teachings in magical arts until the head of the family had enough of him and sent him to the Mage's Association school Clock Tower so to get a proper education and see if he wasn't such a stain on the Einzbern name. If anything, Lars flourished under formal teaching and proved he had the Einzbern blood within him, even if it was mixed with some common female mage which his father picked up in the red light district of Berlin one night.

Recruiting Lars had been simple enough. The Einzberns already believed that being magical made them superior stock in bloodlines, even if they weren't the type to follow Voldemort's regime. However, as much as Lars believed being magical made one superior, he also believed that power made one supreme. Power was what he wanted and he wasn't getting it through the means of the Mages Association and as such, sought out the Death Eaters and quickly joined their ranks.

Truth be told, a small portion of Voldemort which the man refused to admit had existed had a soft spot for the mage. They had similar beginnings, being cast off and unwanted children of nobles, both getting in touch with the prestigious bloodlines and finding the normal system of gaining control of it lacking in their goals. Still, Voldemort admitted that Lars knew his magic and proved very willing for the cause, which helped him quickly rise through the ranks, even if he was not in the Inner Circle just yet, although should Lars' plan work, that would quickly change.

Lars had come straight to Voldemort one day with a very potent plan. Long ago, the Einzberns, Tohsakas, and Makiris, all prominent magical families in other countries had discovered the means to tap into a powerful source of magic. However, while they discovered it, tapping into it required a complex ritual. It would take seven magic-users in total to help accomplish it and that was simply the ritual itself, never mind the process need to create a bond with the source of power in the first place. The power was connected to Akasha, otherwise the Root of all Worlds, a supremely powerful place where all existence sprung from. While most magical society took it as religious gospel and nothing more, the Mages' Association constantly researched ways to try and find it, even going so far as to mix magic with muggle technology, 'modernising' themselves and making them all more or less ostracized from magical society.

Lars' plan was to emulate what his ancestors along with the Tohsakas and the Makiris had done reconnect the bond to that source of power and begin the Heaven's Feel here in England. His plan didn't stop there though. Through his own research both through the Mages' Association and the large libraries which many of his Death Eaters possessed, Lars was convinced he could force the prize of the Heaven's Feel to be summoned. After that it would only need to be charged before Voldemort could use it to grant a single wish for himself. A wish for anything in existence, no strings attached.

What Lars offered Voldemort was nothing less that the Holy Grail itself.

The plan was quite bold and much could go wrong. Even Voldemort knew that one didn't just call something like the Holy Grail down and force it to submit. Lars' approach was to trick the Grail into believing that a Heaven's Feel was already completed and that it was time for it to come down. Doing that though would be difficult. The Holy Grail War in Japan was a trying event and hard to even be considered for since the Grail was the one who selected the other competitors and had an eye on the proceedings. The Japanese already had a record for their wars being brutal and destructive while the Americans in their own attempts to hail down the Grail met with a mockery of a competition that not many felt they could take seriously after hearing of the War in Japan.

"My patience is not endless Von Einzbern," Voldemort hissed, eyeing the German work. "Is everything ready yet?"

"Just a last few checks before we begin," Lars answered. "I do not want to leave anything to chance."

Voldemort narrowed his eyes, but admitted that for something this important, Lars' precautions were valid. The blonde German searched over the runes and arrays which were drawn into the floor of the Dark Lord's impromptu throne room. Everything was found to be in order for Lars' liking and he quickly positioned everyone in their roles in the upcoming ritual. If it all worked, then Voldemort would be able to achieve his goals in a literal heartbeat and no blasted prophecy would be able to stop him!

The Death Eaters and Voldemort himself placed themselves in a circle around the array. Not many of them were well-versed in wandless magic outside of potions, but they were quickly finding the will to do so lest they fail the ritual and ruin everything. The array in the centre of the circle of magicals began to glow as they pooled their energy into it, Voldemort putting the most in obviously being the most powerful and the Grail was meant to go to him. The array began to glow brighter and brighter, making expectations and hopes rise. As the glow began to become brighter, a sphere of power began to manifest above it.

"Yesssss!" Voldemort grinned, greed tinting his eyes as he stared at the orb. Soon ultimate power would belong to him!

"Here it comes," Lars whispered, almost unbelieving that he had planned everything leading to this moment.

The orb above the circle continued to grow as more power was funnelled into the array. All of the Death Eaters in attendance could tell that what they were hoping for was going to happen soon. Their greed for power and lust for what they arrogantly assumed to be theirs would soon become a reality. It would be theirs!

BOOOM!

The orb then exploded, sending a backlash of power in all directions as well as everyone in the room. Death Eaters hit the walls, making sickening slamming noises. The room was illuminated to the point where everything was white as opposed to the usual dreary black. Even Voldemort was not spared as he collapsed on the marble floor, his right hand filled with an incredible burning sensation, making him fear that he had broken his wrist, the adrenaline of his situation probably numbing the pain for the moment.

As the light died down, all of the Death Eaters were groaning in pain from the sudden explosion. However, a lot of them were sharing the same thoughts of making Lars pay for his incompetence. Getting up, they all took a mental tally of their limbs and finding them intact. However, there was one of their number that was still stuck to the walls.

"Yaxley!" Macnair cried, bringing attention to the Ministry's executioner…and who was above him. Stuck to the wall next to the Malfoy coat of arms and impaled on a battle axe was Yaxley, one of Voldemort's trusted followers and a member of the Inner Circle. There was no hope for him since he was already dead. The spear-tip of the battle axe went straight through his heart, killing him instantly. The blast had dislodged the weapon, but one of its mounting hooks kept it in place, making it stick out and make it easy to be cut with.

"VON EINZBERN!" Voldemort bellowed. Yaxley was one of the most loyal and probably still competent members of his circle after his return to the world of the living. Replacing someone of his magical ability would be difficult, if not impossible thanks to the slim pickings among the wizards whom believed in his mission being petty criminals or too cowardly to try and join him with the likes of Dumbledore still attempting to meddle with him. Now Lars was going to pay the price. Gripping his wand, Voldemort pointed it at the petrified blonde. "_Cru-!_"

"Are you my Master?"

Voldemort's rage sputtered as he turned to see that someone new was in the room, kneeling in the blackened circle of the failed ritual. He was donned in black armour which might have been common in the era of the Crusades or some similar place in history, but it was jagged and looked like it was supposed to spark fear in all who gazed at him. He wore tattered bright red cloak which was held on with a gold brooch shaped like talons Black hair trailed down to his shoulders and his face was set in a perpetual scowl along a square jaw and a well-trimmed beard. He may have been called handsome at one point in his life, but his face reflected much hostility and the horrors of war. All of that war and aggression in his eyes was pointed at Voldemort, but he seemed unable to unleash it.

"Upon your summoning, I have come," he growled out. "I ask again, are you my Master?"

"Oh bloody hell," Lars gasped out.

"Von Einzbern, you have ten seconds to tell me what the meaning of this is," Voldemort growled out in an almost animalistic manner.

Lars gulped, his eyes not leaving the kneeling knight in the middle of the room, "He…he is a Servant. He's one of the seven who are called to participate in the Grail War." He gulped a second time. He glanced over at Voldemort. "Master, check your hands. If you are the one who summoned him, then you will have some kind of marking on your hand which holds the Command Mantras."

Swallowing his anger at the moment, Voldemort looked to his hands and quickly found a glowing marking on the back of his right hand. It was glowing red in the darkness of the reception hall. It was styled to look like a devilish spear with two prongs next to it, but kept separate from the main sigil. It rather suited Voldemort's dark style, but he didn't have a complete idea of what it meant.

"And this means?" the Dark Lord asked impatiently.

"Our ritual succeeded in connecting to the Holy Grail, but not in fooling it," Lars grunted as he managed to get back up to his feet, marvelling at the kneeling knight. "If this Servant has appeared and the markings given to you, it seems that what we succeeded in doing was triggering a Holy Grail War here in England."

Voldemort frowned, glaring at the marks on his hand before staring at the kneeling knight, who seemed to be growing more agitated. Voldemort had to admit that this plan wasn't a total loss. His Servant if what Lars said was true was a legendary hero from the past. Likely a muggle save for one of the classes which Servants were in, but at least a powerful muggle. Between his might and Voldemort's magic, what could any other Servant and wizard team have compared to him?

Beginning to grin, Voldemort stepped forward so he stood in front of the still-kneeling Servant. Looking him in the eye, he spoke, "Servant, I am your Master."

The words seemed to bring a severe reaction to the kneeling knight. He reared back and bellowed loudly, giving off a pulse of power. Voldemort quickly stepped back so to not get caught by whatever the devil was happening to the knight. The pulse of power rose into a pillar as did the knight's bellows. To the shock of the Death Eaters the knight's armour turned blood red while his skin turned pale and his hair shifted to a white colour. His teeth became clenched, revealing that the incisors had grown.

"Einzbern!" Voldemort shouted, demanding answers.

Lars was quick to try and get a read on the situation. He dared to get closer to the bellowing knight, trying to get a better look at him. As he did, the knight turned towards him and snarled, revealing blood red eyes which were narrowed and filled with endless anger and rage. No sense of sentient thought was present, only the urge to destroy and kill.

"Mad Enhancement," Lars spoke softly, backing away from the knight slowly. "You…You have summoned Berserker my lord."

"Berserker," Voldemort commented, testing the word. He had recalled the name during his own readings into the Holy Grail War and those who would take part. Berserker was one of the seven classes of Servant if he recalled. "A mindless rampaging beast whom only answers orders and does not grow tired or weak."

"That…that would be correct," Lars nodded, trying to back away slowly so Berserker would not be inclined to attack him.

"Excellent!" the Dark Lord grinned maliciously, a happy sneer to contrast Berserker's insane scowl.

* * *

><p><strong>Little Whinging, Surrey<strong>

Inside the rather plain streets of Little Whinging, there lived a seemingly plain boy. He was fifteen years old and lived at number 4 Privet Drive. He had shaggy black hair which never seemed tameable no matter how much any hairdresser tried. A pair of glasses adorned his jade green eyes which made him appear a little more frail than he was. His most distinguishable trait was the odd lightning-shaped scar on his forehead. He was thin of frame and was forced to wear baggy clothes. To the residents of Privet Drive, Harry Potter was just a face which had been sent to some private school for criminal boys according to his relatives and was thus ignored for the most part.

In truth, Harry Potter was a wizard.

He didn't know this immediately of course. For the first eleven years of his life, as far as he knew his parents died in a car accident which landed him with his relatives the Durselys, related through his aunt Petunia and his mother. For those eleven years, Harry had to play the eternal chore boy for his relatives. His Aunt Petunia was a skinny stick of a woman who was an incurable gossip who had the audacity to spy on her neighbours so she could have some dirt to spill about them. When she wasn't busy calling Harry 'worthless' or the like, she was taking credit over her prize-winning flower garden which she never laid a finger on and instead had Harry do all the work. Her husband Vernon was a walrus of a man with a bristly mousetache who was more than happy to lock up Harry whenever he could so he wouldn't ruin the 'normal' image of his family which he prided himself so much on at his drill bit manufacturing plant, Grunnings. Whenever Harry seemed to step out of line, be it truly or because someone said so, Vernon would lay down the law with a heavy hand. Lastly was Harry's cousin Dudley who was an absolutely spoiled whale of a boy whom was given everything he ever wanted and then some. Overfed and given everything, Dudley ruled the primary school system with Harry being the prime target. Many a times Harry came home with bruises and cuts due to Dudley and his gang and not having an ounce of justice since his aunt and uncle denied anything but perfection no matter how rotten spoiled, whiney, or violent Dudley got even with _many_ other parents complaining

Harry's life of working like a dog for the Dursley's and their neglect of him save for the bare essentials continued for eleven years until one day he received a very odd letter from a school called Hogwarts. After Petunia and Vernon tried everything in their power to prevent Harry from even touching letter after letter, he finally discovered the truth. He was a wizard, much like his mother and father were. The Dursleys in their usual fits of hatred for anything they considered 'abnormal' saw fit to try and prevent Harry from learning of anything magical and eventually forcing the magic out of him so he'd be 'normal' like them. Much to their frustration, they failed miserably.

For the past four years, Harry had been learning all about magic at the school of Hogwarts. However, it wasn't at all the sweetest dream that he envisioned with being able to get away from the Dursleys. First of all, Harry just wasn't an ordinary wizard but one of the most famous. His celebrity status stemmed from how as a child, he managed to survive being hit by a killing curse cast by one of the worst dark wizards of all time, Voldemort (A.K.A. You-Know-Who) which backlashed and destroyed the man in the process. With his status came all sorts of expectations people seemed to hold on him being some kind of powerful wizard in the making or having been personally trained by some of the most powerful wizards of the day. Despite seeing the boy in person, people still seemed to expect great things from him.

Despite all the friends Harry made at school and all of the interesting things he had learned at Hogwarts, it was anything but a relaxing school experience. For the past four years Harry's life was put at risk in various insane situations. The first year, he and his friends Ron and Hermione had to protect the Sorcerer's Stone from Voldemort who had managed to remain as a kind of spirit of some sort. His second year had Harry fight a Basilisk which was prowling the school and attacking muggleborn students at the direction of a student possessed by Voldemort's childhood diary. Third year saw the escape of Sirius Black and the dementors from the wizard prison Azkaban which proved more dangerous than the wrongly accused convict could ever be. Finally, last year saw the return of the Triwizard Tournament which had been discontinued since participant fatalities became too much. In Harry's opinion, the people in charge hadn't made it much safer than they claimed they had.

During the final event of the tournament though, Harry was transported into a cemetery and used in a ritual which completely revived Voldemort into his physical form. Defeating the man in a wizarding duel and escaping, Harry tried to warn everyone, but not many took him seriously. Everyone else seemed content to stick their heads into the dirt and refuse to believe that Voldemort had returned. He really couldn't blame them, having met the man in person and witnessed his cruelty he wouldn't want to believe the dark wizard had returned either.

Since returning to his personal isolation with the Dursleys though, Harry had been in a communication blackout. No one had been sending him letters and it was not helping his growing temper. Between the denial of Fudge, the Minister of Magic and seeing no sign of anything being done to stop the madman nor hearing anything from his friends, Harry was finding himself being pushed in ways he did not have the patience for. Furthermore, his patience was being further grated with his cousin Dudley. The formerly whale-shaped boy had discovered wrestling and managed to turn the majority of his body fat into muscle. What got on Harry's nerves was the fact that his aunt and uncle were acting like Dudley was the prince of Britain. It didn't help the boy's arrogance when he managed to fight and pin a boy that was older than him.

Nowadays Dudley and his gang would roam about doing delinquent things and cause trouble. Unlike when they were younger, they had enough sense not to cause trouble and get caught for it. Of course, Dudley always had a ready excuse as to why he was late, citing that he was hanging out at a friend's place having afternoon and evening tea like a proper English gentleman. As usual with their absolute denial of Dudley doing anything wrong, Vernon and Petunia swallowed his lies hook, line, and sinker.

At this point in time, Harry was sitting in one of the small parks near his house thinking about what was going on over and over again. He usually wasn't able to go there since the Dursleys had him working on chores more often than not. When he could go no one would play with him since they were afraid Dudley and his gang would beat them up in their usual Harry Hunting trips where anyone who got in the way was the target. This night, it was one of the sole sanctuaries he had as the sun sank over the horizon. His frustration was mounting with his complete isolation with people who were more or less the definition of anti-magic and made it a point to show how much they hated him when they weren't ignoring him to live as 'normally' as they possibly could.

The voices of young men alerted him of something approaching from the distance. He easily recognized the voices as belonging to Dudley and his gang of idiots. It sounded like they were returning to their homes for the night after causing somebody some trouble once again. Harry knew that once Dudley saw him, he'd decide that some picking on Harry would be the perfect day to wrap up the evening. With his temper growling and seeking release, Harry decided some scare tactics were in order so to get some payback.

After all, it wasn't as if he was going to actually cast a spell.

* * *

><p><strong>Granger Residence<strong>

Hermione Granger was a girl who loved books and learning. Growing up, she read constantly and proved herself very intelligent. However, it didn't make her any friends during her primary school years. Teased because of her bushy hair, large front teeth, and being a 'teacher's pet', she grew to be rather lonely. When she received her Hogwarts letter and an explanation from Professor McGonagall, she had thought that things were finally looking up. A bit of her ideas about wizards painted them as people who liked to learn and researched into discovering new ways of magic and how to do things better. However, the reality shattered those preconceptions when she found herself to be just as ridiculed about actually liking to learn as she was in primary school. It seemed like no matter where she went she would be remain just as friendless as ever simply because she liked to do well in school rather than do the other things children her age liked to do.

Then Halloween in her first year occurred and she made her first friends.

Being rescued from a mountain troll would do that for a person. Meeting Harry Potter and Ron Weasley finally gave her the friends she so badly wanted. There were ups and downs of course, but everyday she was glad at one point or another that she had met them. She could do without the life-risking adventures, but in the end she would have gone through them anyway. Her bond with her friends simply was that strong.

Nowadays Hermione was more than a little frustrated. At the end of her fourth year the Dark Lord Voldemort had returned and as far as she could tell from her subscription to the Daily Prophet, the Ministry was denying it with all of their strength and going so far as to create a smear campaign against Harry so that no one would listen to him should he ever try to go public. It incensed her that the government which was supposed to support the people and warn them of dangers was reacting like little children who didn't want to admit that something they didn't like had happened. Then again, Cornelius Fudge wasn't the most honest of individuals in her opinion and his close relationship with Lucius Malfoy made her think that more than a few 'donations' had helped influence decisions in his term as Minister for Magic.

She wanted to talk to Harry about it and see what he thought of it, and maybe help soothe his temper but Professor Dumbledore had been quite adamant about not communicating with Harry at all, 'for his own protection' just in case someone followed the owls. Hermione truly respected Dumbledore and everything he had done, but she had to question why completely cutting Harry off from communication with his friends was supposed to be helpful. At the very least, letting him know that owls may be traced so messages would be rare or arranging a more secure means of communication would have been a better idea. She had heard stories about Harry's relatives and she refused to believe that Harry was as safe as Dumbledore believed, emotionally at least.

Again, there wasn't much she could do about it since she didn't know how to make a floo or some of the other more secure communications and even if she did, she wasn't allowed to use magic outside of school yet so she was stuck in that regard. So instead she buried herself into more magical research to learn more about the wizarding world. It was during this time that she had discovered the Mage's Association and their own school known as Clock Tower. It was surprising for her to learn that there was another school for wizards, or rather mages, in Britain and she wondered why she hadn't been invited. However, that's when she discovered that while Hogwarts was considered one of the finest schools, it catered to everyone while Clock Tower seemed more like a true private school and only made offers to certain families or those with sufficient experience. Furthermore, the Mage's Association and Magical Britain really didn't like each other all that much. The Mage's Association considered Magic Britain to be backwards and ignorant of the world at large and likely to not be amounting to anything since they continued to wallow in their own ignorance. Magical Britain on the other hand considered the Mage's Association to be borderline heretics who refuse to follow the teachings of Merlin and broach subjects which wizards have no business dealing with, such as associating with the modern muggle world.

It had taken Hermione some time at Flourish and Blotts to discover that much about the Mage's Association since any and all books about them were crammed into a dusty corner and it took her more time to sort out the unbiased books about them. A stroke of luck however found her one of the texts which students of Clock Tower would learn from and she immediately set into it. The kinds of magic she learned of was quite interesting and very radical compared to the things she learned at Hogwarts. However, Hermione never considered knowledge a bad thing unless it was used for a bad purpose so she strove on. One aspect of the Mage's Association she found incredibly interesting was their use of familiars and summoning arrays to call for them.

That was currently what the bushy-haired young woman was doing in her basement on such a pleasant evening. She was currently drawing an ornate circle on the concrete floor with a number of geometric designs. It was very precise work and she could see why the Mage's Association embraced the modern area with their precision tools and such things. It made drawing her array ever so much easier. She had found a number of possible arrays to summon familiars with, but one in particular had caught her attention. It was supposedly one associated with what the Mage's Association said was connected to what they called the Third True Magic, a powerful kind of magic which modern science had yet been able to duplicate. The book said that it only worked under specific circumstances but didn't go into what those where. Still, eager to at least try, she set to work and created the array out of chalk and several precision instruments bought from an office supply store.

"Okay, that should do it," Hermione muttered to herself, checking her measurements and the diagrams in the book to be sure. "Now comes the tricky part."

She knew she could get in loads of trouble for doing this, but since she wasn't using her wand then there was a chance that the Ministry wouldn't be able to track it. She had read up on how the Ministry made sure that underage students didn't use their magic by keeping trackers on their wands which expired once they reached their age of majority. She had researched such things after Harry told her about how he was accused of underage magic when Dobby used magic in his relatives' house. After some digging, she had found that the method used on Harry was considered overkill compared to the ministry standard. She had assumed that it was because Harry was The-Boy-Who-Lived and thus had to be under more protection than regular students.

Placing herself in front of the circle, Hermione began reading from the book the chant which was marked alongside the circle she had chosen. The words were slightly blurred, but she managed to make them out so to cast the spell properly. The spell was much longer to invoke than the ones she was used to, showing that while Hogwarts went for speed, the Mage's Association seemed to lean towards the results and power instead. Word after word, the circle began to glow brighter and brighter.

"Servant…" she spoke out, finishing the incantation. "Come forth!"

The array triggered, bringing a flash of light which lit up the room as if a star had appeared, forcing Hermione to shield her eyes. Stumbling back from the light, she tripped and fell onto her bottom as she covered her eyes. While she struggled with her sight, the centre of the circle reacted as a figure seemed to rise out of the ground as if it were as dense as air. As the figure rose out of the ground like sprouting plant, the circle stopped glowing and all of the chalk lines vanished, having been swept away by the force.

Blinking her eyes, Hermione looked to her summoning array and gasped when she found it missing, but a man standing in its place. He was of average build, but seemed thin and light on his feet. He was dressed in a green tunic and dark brown pants with leather boots. His right hand was covered in a fingerless green glove while the other was wrapped in white bandages, as if it were used it a singular action over and over again and thus had to be protected from harm. Lastly his shoulders were adorned with a dark green cloak. His face was admittedly handsome and seemed to have an easy smile on it with hazel eyes, one of which was slightly obscured by his hair. Said hair was red, but shaggy like the wind had brushed through it. All in all, Hermione seemed almost smitten at the handsome man which had appeared before her.

"Are you my Master?" he asked plainly.

"Uh…wh…what?" the bushy-haired girl gasped out.

"Upon your summoning, I have come forth," the man replied. "Are you my Master?"

Hermione blinked and tried to get her mind back into order. Quickly coming to terms with what this handsome man was saying, she answered, "Y-yes. I am the one who summoned you. Although you weren't quite what I was expecting…."

"Eh, work with what you've got," The man shrugged. "You can call me Archer. Who might you be?"

"Hermione Granger," the young woman answered as she got to her feet, brushing off her pants. "Archer? Is that really your name?"

"My Class actually," Archer replied. "It's safer that you refer to me that way. Wouldn't want your opponents to learn about my name and abilities."

That brought Hermione up short, "My opponents?"

"The other Masters," Archer answered. "You know, the ones you have to fight for the Holy Grail?"

"WHAT?"

"Oh boy, are we in for a long night," was the soft chuckle to Hermione's shriek.

* * *

><p><strong>Malfoy Manor<strong>

Lars Von Einzbern withheld the urge to sigh as he watched his master and fellow Death Eaters work. He and the five most loyal Death Eaters including the Lestrange Family, Lucius Malfoy, and Rookwood were sitting at six summoning arrays drawn on the floor of the Malfoy ballroom. Voldemort was sitting on his throne and next to him, Berserker was likewise watching with his insane scowl. Since confusing the Holy Grail hadn't worked and instead triggered a new Grail War, Voldemort planned to have his minions summon the remaining six Servants so that they would all do battle with each other and the winner would face Berserker and throw the match so that Voldemort could claim the Grail.

Lars doubted that the new plan would work, knowing that the Grail had a mind of its own and would no doubt choose who the seven Masters would be. He'd be surprised if the plan did work, but he couldn't voice those doubts since he was on something of thin ice already with the Dark Lord for his plan not working perfectly and getting Yaxley killed in the process even if it did give Voldemort a new Servant at the same time. So he kept his mouth shut and got the materials ready. It had taken a few days to get the materials together, but since no one else knew about the War starting all over again, everyone figured they had time enough for it. Now with the six arrays on the floor, Voldemort signalled for the Death Eaters to begin.

All of them began to make their chants, channelling their magical power into the arrays under Voldemort's watchful eye. They did their work quickly, not wanting to try their lord's patience any long than they had to. Soon, light filled the room as the first of them completed their chant for summoning a Servant, forcing everyone there to shield their eyes and prevent any damage that might go to them. It didn't stop the others from completing their on summoning chants, albeit with their eyes closed. The onrush of power and energy kept everyone's eyes shut, but they so dearly hoped that their efforts would prove fruitful and thus worthy of their lord's praise. As the rush died down, they opened their eyes to see if their hopes weren't in vain.

"Are you my Master?"

Lars blinked and stared at the man standing on front of him, feeling a great measure of relief. His Servant was clad in a black coat and tight brown pants made for running and fighting in. A bandolier ran across his chest while he wore old leather boots and gloves. He appeared to be a soldier in Lars' eyes, though where he came from was anyone's guess. Lars may have had better ideas if he could see the Servant's face, but it was hidden behind the shadows of the hooded black cloak he was wearing.

"_Servant Rider has heeded your call,_" the man spoke, his voice echoing despite the hall not being that big.

With Bellatrix Lestrange was a tall man whose torso was encased in bronze Greek-style armour which had several images crafted onto it, matched by a bronze kilt. He wore leather and bronze leggings to protect his legs and wore leather sandals. In one hand was a long spear which had a silver head that looked incredibly sharp, too sharp to have been made by a mortal. His other hand gripped a shield that had many images carved into its surface. Finally he wore a helmet which was made of bronze and covered the majority of his head, save for a portion which revealed his face but even that had a section running down the length of his nose. On top of the helmet was a decoration not unlike a horse's mane, making him appear taller.

"Servant Lancer has appeared," the man spoke gruffly.

Lastly in front of Lucius Malfoy was a lithe woman who even standing still, exuded sexuality, grace, and death all in one package. Her skin was a midnight black which helped her blend into the darkened room quite easily. She wore simple leather pants over her legs with daggers on her hips while her upper arms and wrists were decorated with thin fabric straps. Her top was bikini-like in that it covered the bare minimum and let her muscled abdomen be revealed. The garment was connected to a bronze set of rings around her neck. All in all, her body looked very desirable. Her face though was a different story. She had long purple/blue hair that was tied into a simple ponytail, reaching down past her behind and silver hoop earrings which added to her beauty, but her face was concealed by a skull-like mask which prevented her true face from being seen at all.

"Servant Assassin has answered your summons," her voice called as smoothly and seductively as her body proposed it would be.

Voldemort watched with a frown as three of his Death Eaters managed to accomplish what he set them out to do. The other three on the other hand seemed to have failed miserably. Berserker seemed to hear his Master's displeasure and was growling faintly, just waiting for the order to attack. Gripped in his hand was a barbed spear which he was able to manifest whenever he felt like it, which was more or less all the time. It was long and was polished steel which was a few feet long, and that was just the metal section rather than the shaft.

"Rider, Lancer, and Assassin," Voldemort frowned. "I seem to recall that Saber, Archer, and Caster are also Servants, yet I do not see them here. Einzbern, why do I not see six Servants in front of me?"

"I...I would have to surmise…that…the Grail did not see fit to allow those three Servants to be summoned by us," Lars gulped, forgetting Rider for the moment. "If that is true, then the Grail may already be manipulating events so that someone else will summon those Servants."

"So those without Servants were unworthy, and the Grail will be finding Masters elsewhere," Voldemort frowned. Rookwood and the Lestrange brothers felt their stomachs clench, fearing that they would be made to feel the Cruciatus Curse for their failure. Voldemort merely got up from his throne as stepped forward, Berserker following him. "I should be angry at those of us here who were found unworthy, but I am a rational man and know that a powerful magic such as the Grail is not something that can be bent to one's will. However, it saw fit to grant us four Servants for our cause. For that, I feel lenient. With these four, we will be able to deal with the likes of Saber, Caster, and Archer soon enough," he then looked to the group as if acknowledging them for the first time. "Bellatrix, Lucius, Lars, you three are to remain here with me. The rest of you, leave my sight!"

Rookwood and the Lestrange brothers left without a word, leaving their fellows, master, and the four Servants behind. Although Lars did feel confident with having Four Servants on their side, he still held some doubts. Saber was hailed as one of the greatest of the classes and would be a considerable threat alone. Archer was likewise a long-range expert, something that most wizards these days had little to no skill in and thus easy prey for the Heroic Spirit. Lastly Caster would have access to powerful magic which no one would have seen in centuries, if not millennia. Oh some may argue that some branches of magic withered out because they were weaker, but Lars knew that some of the most powerful magics of all died out was because there was no one left to pass the secrets onto, or those masters merely took their secrets to the grave with them. Of all the Servants to have not been called to their side, Saber, Caster, and Archer had to be the worst ones of all.

* * *

><p><strong>Lovegood Residence<strong>

Luna Lovegood hummed a nonsensical tune to herself as she drew a complicated circle on the floor inside of her room. Every year she attempted the same thing since her mother sadly passed away. She was one of the few witches whom conferred with both the Mage's Association and the Ministry of Magic. She was working in the Department of Mysteries and was researching ways to come into contact with Akasha, the Root of all Worlds. While the tried and true method of the Third True Magic was available at the time, it harboured too much brutality and greed for the Unspeakable's tastes. So, she researched other ways which unfortunately ended up with her discovering the Veil which took her life.

Since then, Luna had always taken an interest in the Heaven's Feel, but not for the wish. What interested her more was the summoning of her own personal Hero which would obey her wishes. While she didn't really need a slave or Servant, she was hoping that she would receive a hero who would be her friend.

Luna's life in Hogwarts wasn't exactly fun. Her coming fourth year ominously felt like it would be much like her other three. She was a girl of average build with long blonde hair, but she often liked to wear a necklace made of butterbeer caps and strange earrings. Luna likewise believed in a number of magical creatures which had absolutely no proof of existing in modern magical society and she was mocked for it. She was doubly mocked because her father was the owner and publisher of _The Quibbler_, a magical magazine filled with all of the ideas of conspiracies and strange creatures which nearly no one believed actually existed. In Luna's opinion if people didn't want to believe simply because such small evidence existed then that was their poor luck. Funnily enough, many muggles believed the same about magic.

While Luna had a few friends like Ginny Weasley, they were all in different houses, leaving her alone in Ravenclaw to be mocked by the logic-minded students there. So part of why she was attempting to invoke the Third True Magic was to have someone she could truly trust inside of her own house. Being able to compete for the Holy Grail would be a nice side-effect. If she won then she would wish to know where all of the Crumple-Horned Snorlacks are in the world along with all of the information needed to find them. A few pictures of them would be very nice for her personal collection.

"Pumpkin, where are you?" the voice of Xenophilius Lovegood, Luna's father, called up from downstairs.

"Summoning a friend to my room Daddy," Luna answered dreamily.

"Okay. Try not to make a mess."

"I'll try," Luna called back.

With her father assured, Luna set back to work. She completed the array quickly. With the circle completed, she made her final checks before starting her chant. It was more or less gibberish based off the traditional chants which she read up in her mother's books. She just thought it was fun and perhaps might help her chances if she used words which sounded more magical.

Whatever the reason for her improvised words, it seemed to be working as the circle began to light up with magical power. She continued her chant as dreamily as she always spoke, even if the swell of hope was quite large in her chest. Maybe, just maybe this time would be the time she would receive her heroic friend. Still chanting, she closed her eyes and made a small prayer to any and all magical spirits listening, The Green Man, Hecate, whoever felt like listening. Divine spirits were busy people after all.

Then the circle unleashed a blast of light. Luna quickly covered her eyes so not to damage them; however she was finding herself to be quite thrilled with all that was going on. From the centre of the circle, a figure rose out of the wooden boards of her home. From head to toe, he was donned in emerald green armour. It held to true motif, but she could tell tree-like carvings spread across the sides. His armour held gentle slopes and branching imagery on its surface much like a forest. His helmet was was marked with a deer's head on the forehead with the antlers branching out. A pair of horns rose from the sides, spreading like antlers with leaves circling close to the neck. A single slit acted like the eyeholes with small holes around the mouth. Around his shoulders was a thick pelt of some animal which was a deep shade of green, much like his armour. On his hip was a large stone axe inlaid with several large emeralds which were glowing with their own light. All in all, he was very imposing.

"Are you my Master?" the green-armoured knight asked in a deep voice.

"I wonder," Luna pondered. Feeling a strange sensation in her right hand, she looked down to see a red marking which looked like a double-headed axe which was proken into three pieces. It was glowing softly across the back of her hand, not being harmful in the least. "It seems I am." Looking back to the knight, she asked. "May I know your name?"

"I am Caster fair lady," the knight answered, kneeling before the spacey blonde.

"My name is Luna,"

* * *

><p><strong>Little Whinging<strong>

Harry cursed mentally as another one of the black cloaked monsters he loathed swooped in an attempt to nab him. He didn't know what a pair of Dementors were during in Little Whinging, but it was quite obvious that they intended some serious harm on him and Dudley whom he was forced to carry.

Harry had successfully managed to bait Dudley and threaten him with his wand, even if he wasn't allowed to cast magic. It had freaked the larger boy out, but then things went straight to hell when the pair of Dementors suddenly appeared as the sun vanished. Harry could feel the memory of his parents' death creeping into his, a sure signal of their approach. Unfortunately, Dudley was suddenly sapped of his energy and had lost his sight in the presence of the soul-suckers. Normally Harry would have cast his Patronus, but with Dudley nearby, it didn't seem he was going to last long in the open. At the very least, getting him into some shelter would diminish the effects and give Harry the time needed to use his magic to drive the pair of monsters away.

"Come on Dudley!" Harry grunted, hefting the heavy boy's arm over his shoulder. As much as Dudley obviously hated his cousin, the heavyset boy obviously knew when it was time to put that aside in favour of getting out of a given situation alive. It put him ahead of his parents at least.

The pair of teenagers dashed (i.e. stumbled) across the street towards one of the houses of Little Whinging. Harry eyed one of the houses which were for sale. The 'for sale' sign was obviously old from the childish drawings on its surface. Still, it was enough for Harry as he walked/dragged his cousin to the front door.

"Dudley, kick forward!" Harry shouted.

"Hrah!" Dudley grunted, kicking forward with what energy he had left. The lock splintered easily and the door swung open. Harry managed to get himself and his cousin inside before slamming the door shut. Glancing around, he spotted an old box filled with something he hoped was heavy. Grabbing it, he yanked the box in front of the door and pressed against it tightly. The screeching noise of the Dementors collided with the wooden door, making Harry step back with his wand. He set his cousin onto the floor, knowing that he would need mobility to take the pair of Azkaban guards down before they did some serious damage.

The screeches of the Dementors died down, making Harry realize that they were looking for an alternate way into the house. He reacted quickly and turned around to try ad see which way the Dementors would try to enter. He scanned the room and quickly found it filled with boxes of junk, but quickly ignored them. Dashing across the room, he discovered that there were some windows, which Harry quickly dashed towards. Pushing back boxes and feeling the corners impact against his legs, Harry began checking the locks of the windows, making sure they were locked. Frost was already collecting over the glass, indicating that the Dementors were getting closer. Locking the last of the windows in the room, Harry watched one of the pair drag its fingers across the frosted surface.

"Not today," Harry grimaced as he backed away.

Then another screech sounded off.

Harry turned around in fear and watched as a black mass of rags and smoke pour out of the fireplace, giving Harry a brief recollection of how Hogwarts acceptance letters burst out of the fireplace when he was eleven. The only difference was that what was coming out of the fireplace this time wasn't something offering him freedom from the Dursleys.

"_Expecto-!_" Harry cried out in preparation, but as he backed away from the Dementor, he tripped over one of the smaller boxes and fell onto his back with a thud. Groaning, he gasped as his mother's screams echoed violently in his mind as the Dementor stood tall and began reaching for him. "No!"

Then light violently exploded from the floor.

The Dementor screeched and backpedalled away from the light, attempting to shield itself from the light it despised. Harry shielded his eyes at well, and found that he was sitting on the outer edge of a strange circle filled with designs he didn't recognize. In front of him, Harry saw blood drops in the centre which made a trail up his leg where a moderate cut existed, but the bespectacled boy wouldn't quite draw the connection until later. From the centre of the circle, a figure began to rise and if anything, cause the Dementor more fear.

The figure was likely male, and donned in a completely black suit of armour. The armour was configured in jagged edges and ornate dark designs. Harry could have almost sworn that the armour was steel trying to emulate evil. From the knight's back hung several black strips of fabric with ornate black metal tips, possibly for decorative purposes or maybe some other unknown reason. The limbs looked powerful, with all of the heavy armour fitted upon the human frame, making the figure appear to be someone Harry did not want to mess with. The helmet was smooth with a single slit for eyes ending with cross-like markings on either side. From the back of the helmet a long blue ponytail-like ornament hung and while it travelled, it turned from blue to black. Harry knew logically he should have been afraid of the man's fearsome image, but for some reason all he could feel was pity as he peered into the knight's void-like visor.

The light died down and with it, a portion of the Dementor's fear. Making another screeching sound, it began to approach Harry and the strange knight which had appeared. Harry felt his mother's screams reappearing and he quickly began struggling to muster up a happy memory to drive it away. However, the black knight was already moving into action. Reaching to one of the packed boxes, he retrieved what seemed like a cricket bat and started wielding it as a weapon. At first Harry thought that the knight was insane, but to his great shock, purple veins began to spread across the item, making it grow and shift to look like it was made of steel and a twisted version of its former self. The Dementor wasn't intimidated as it continued to approach, but the knight didn't back down either. Rearing his improvised weapon back, the knight unleashed a monstrous swing which smashed the bat against the Dementor's head. Harry saw a purple flash and heard the Dementor scream before a loud crash followed. Rubbing the stars from his eyes, Harry gaped when he saw the knight releasing his stance and the Dementor rolling across the ground in some quite obvious pain.

"You…hurt it?" Harry gasped in shock.

The knight remained silent, dropping the cricket bat. Before Harry's eyes, the purple veins receded and returned the sports item to its natural form. The knight remained tense though, as if anticipating another attack. Said next attack came as the door Harry blocked was slammed open and the second Dementor came flowing inside of the space it created. Like before, the knight seemed to be unaffected by the presence of the monster and grabbed another item poking out of the cardboard boxes, this time an actual fire poker. Like before, purple veins spread through the item and turned it into a twisted spear-like version of itself. The Dementor came screaming towards the knight, but the black armoured man merely reared back his arm and hurled his improvised weapon at his opponent.

Another horrible screech echoed out as the Dementor was pierced by the transformed poker and savagely pinned to the wall. The Dementor's wail echoed and then died out completely as black smoke spewed out from every space available of the monster's body. The cloak emptied and became a crumbling mass of rags. The Dementor was dead.

The remaining Dementor, obviously terrified that its comrade had died, suddenly got a hold of itself and grit through its pain before it flew away from the knight and out of the door into the night. Harry was left alone with his nearly unconscious cousin and the black knight in the room. Harry's eyes were riveted on the black knight as he turned to face the teenager. Silently, the knight calmly approached Harry with not a single threatening move, but his image was threatening enough in his eyes. When he was only a short distance away from Harry, the knight came down on one knee and gazed at The-Boy-Who-Lived almost expectantly.

Gulping, Harry found his voice, "Who…who are you?"

"I am Saber," the knight replied, his tone grim and full of sadness. "And you are my Master."

* * *

><p><strong>To be Continued…<strong>

A/N: Well, when I started getting into Fate/Stay Night, I pondered with the idea of making up my own Grail war along with following the fifth Grail War from canon. Well, you all know my attempt to follow canon in Fate/Stay Night: Ultimate Master. This on the other hand is my attempts at making my own Grail War and doing things the way I want to. I set it apart from Fuyuki City since the War there would follow the canon style of war so setting it in a different country and having been triggered by the likes of Voldemort would give me some creative leeway.

For those of you who are curious, should this story be continued, Arturia, Shirou, and Rin would be making appearances eventually since two of the new Servants play a role on Arturia's past.


	2. Over Your Head

I do not own Harry Potter or Fate/Stay Night. I am only writing this for fun and for nothing in terms of monetary gain. If you're looking to sue me then forget about it. I am writing this for the sake of writing.

Fate/Ingens Cor

By Ten-Faced Paladin

Chapter 2: Over your Head

Harry couldn't help but blink when the black knight, Saber seemed to proclaim Harry as his Master. To be fair, the moment had been rather surreal for Harry. Being chased by two Dementors while attempting to keep his cousin safe strained his nerves and when it seemed that one of the Dementors would get him, Saber appeared and beat down one Demntor with a cricket bat before piercing another one to a wall with a fire poker, killing it. The black knight actually somehow used magic to modify the two ordinary items and transform them into weapons which were capable of harming, and even killing a Dementor.

Naturally, suddenly finding yourself the supposed master of such a being would bring up one's mental facilities short.

"M-me?" Harry blinked. "Your…Master?"

"Yes Master," Saber nodded. "The Command Spells on your hand are evidence enough to me."

"M-my hand?" Harry blinked. Tearing his eyes away from Saber for the first time, he looked down at his hands to confirm or deny what the black knight was talking about. He quickly found what the iron-clad man was talking about, finding a red marking on his hand which appeared to look like a sword, with the blade, hilt, and handle all in separate pieces. Lifting his hand, Harry revealed the markings to Saber whom he couldn't tell if he was watching in patience or annoyance, "These?"

"Yes Master," Saber nodded. "Those are the proof of our contract. They mark you as my Master and as such, you can command me."

"O-oh," Harry breathed. Despite having been used to magic for some time now, he was finding himself truly floored by this intimidating knight, how he appeared, killed a Dementor, and then swore loyalty to him.

Still, part of Harry's mind reminded him that he was sitting on the floor and that he had dropped his wand. Grabbing it by pure reflex, he began to get too his feet even though the after-effects of his exposure to the Dementors was making his legs feel like wet noodles. The strength quickly failed and he was about to fall, but Saber's armoured hand quickly captured his wrist. Harry then felt himself pulled up to his feet as Saber rose.

"Thanks," Harry replied, mostly out of reflex. He received a nod from Saber in return. Once both were back on their feet, Saber gestured to where Dudley was laying on the ground, the close proximity to the Dementors having knocked him unconscious.

"What are we to do with him Master?" the black knight asked.

"That's my cousin," Harry replied, his awe over the situation quickly dissipating in light of the current emergency. "We need to get him back to my house! Uh…um…chocolate!" Saber's head quirked at the odd proclamation. "Oh never mind! Just pick him up and follow me!"

Saber nodded and quickly walked over to Dudley, his iron feet digging into the wooden floor. Grasping the boy around the sides and hefting him over his shoulder as if he were as light as a feather, Saber turned to look at Harry, silently asking for further orders. Harry was silently impressed at Saber's strength to lift a boy he was sure that was comparable to weight with a small cow. Rather than stand and gape at the sight though, he gestured for Saber to follow him as they headed for the door. Walking through the door with Saber in tow they headed for the sidewalk so they could get Dudley back home. Hopefully the people of Little Whinging would either be in their usual schedules and all be inside watching television or having dinner and wouldn't notice a black knight walking down the street with a boy slung over his shoulder.

"Don't move!"

'_Bugger!_' Harry thought with a grimaced as he turned to view who had spotted them. Who had called at him though was something of a surprise. "Mrs. Figg?"

Harry's eyes weren't lying to him. Directly in front of him was Mrs. Figg, the elderly woman whom the Dursleys would drop him off to when they went to take Dudley out someplace fun. She would usually give him stale sweets and make him look at all of the photo albums of her past cats while helping her feed all of the current cats she was the owner of. She was probably one of the most boring people Harry had ever met, even if she was leagues nicer than the Dursleys even on her worst day.

So, it was something of a surprise for him to see the old woman pointing what looked like a wand at Saber, whom was at Harry's back.

"Get over here Harry, quickly!" the old man spoke urgently before she looked at Saber. "You! Drop the boy! Now!"

Saber was not in the least bit intimidated, "My Master ordered me-"

"I don't care what You-Know-Who ordered! Drop the boy!" Mrs. Figg scowled. Her scowl hardened when she noticed that Harry had yet to actually move towards her and away from the black knight. "Harry, get over here now!"

"Mrs. Figg, it's all right!" Harry cried, trying to prevent any more violence for the night. Saber had killed a Dementor with what appeared to be minimal effort and he didn't want to see what would happen if he fought a grown witch. "He's not working for Voldemort!"

"Harry, you can't be sure!" Mrs Figg cried back, her wand still trained on the unmoving Saber. "Two Dementors and this fellow show up, I'd consider that pretty suspicious. He could have been the one who sent them for all you know!"

"But he isn't!" Harry insisted. "I'm the one who summoned him!"

That statement brought Mrs. Figg up short, making her wand dip down, "What?"

"My Master invoked the Third True Magic and called me to his side," Saber explained, showing an amazing amount of patience for someone who was being threatened. "I dealt with the threat and he ordered me assist him in bringing this boy home."

"The Third True Magic…?" Mrs. Figg blinked, he jaw beginning to drop. It was quite obvious from her tone that she didn't quite know what to make of the term, or she did know and couldn't believe it. Shaking her head, she returned to her stern face. "Fine, then follow me and heaven help you if anything funny happens."

The elderly woman tucked the wand into her dress pocket and began heading down the street. Harry, not really sure what to say merely followed with Saber obediently carrying Dudley after them. As Harry caught up with his older neighbour, he couldn't help but wonder if everything he knew about Mrs. Figg had been true or not.

"Mrs. Figg," he spoke tentatively. "How long have…"

"Have I been a witch?" asked Mrs. Figg. Glancing back at Saber, she sighed. "If this fellow is telling the truth then there's no harm in telling. I'm not actually a witch. I'm a squib."

Harry blinked, remembering the term to describe the eternally-sour custodian of Hogwarts, Argus Filch. Squib was a term used to describe someone who was born into a family of wizards and witches, but was unable to use magic themselves. It didn't matter to him if one was magical or not, but to a lot of the so-called upper society, it meant a lot and was more or less a declaration of the fact that your family line was dirty in some way, shape, or form. It was the kind of thing that Voldemort and the people like him wanted to 'purge' from wizarding society.

"Then why do you have a wand?" asked Harry.

"It's a fake. Albus gave it to me to scare off some of the less-courageous threats who might come your way if they thought you weren't the only magical in the area," the old woman answered, wistfully patting the pocket she had put the fake wand into. Obviously she still wished it wasn't a fake. "To answer your next question, Albus helped station me here so to keep a better eye on you, more so after last year. I wanted to be nicer to you over the years, but if those awful relatives of yours suspected I was treating you well then they would have made sure I never saw you again."

"Oh," Harry blinked. Today it seemed was a day for revelations. On one hand he was glad that someone at least had his back during his time in Little Whinging, even if they were limited in their movements lest the Dursleys take him away from her and work doubly hard to make him unhappy. On the other hand though, someone had been more or less spying on him his whole life, working for Dumbledore no less. How the elderly headmaster seemed content to send him back to a household which didn't want him every year just couldn't compute in Harry's mind.

"I just can't believe bloody Dementors would come out into the middle of a muggle area. I am going to kill Mundnungus when I see him again." Mrs. Figg frowned. "I think it's safe to say that they were coming specifically after you since you're the only wizard in all of Little Whinging"

"Someone is trying to assassinate my Master?" asked Saber with a dark undertone.

"Nothing new there," Harry sighed, rubbing his forehead.

"Then perhaps fortune favoured you when you summoned me when you did," Saber commented. "The one responsible for this will think twice when one of those beasts returns with tales of the other being killed."

Mrs. Figg suddenly halted, turned her gaze to Saber, "You killed a Dementor?"

"It was but a simple task," Saber replied. "Perhaps a small challenge to my accuracy because of their robes, but again it was not difficult."

"Third True Magic indeed," Mrs. Figg sighed, looking back down the street. "Well, maybe if whoever sent those Dementors hears one of them gets killed, they probably will think twice about sending another to try a second time. I just don't fancy what the Ministry may try once they hear of it. Supposedly they are in complete control all of the bloody monsters. Someone's going to raise a stink over this." The old woman trailed off into mutterings about how the Ministry of Magic was going to raise a stink or do their best to cover up the whole incident, ignoring the fact that they weren't in control of the beasts anymore. Her mutterings became even more venomous as she listed what she was going to do to someone named Mundungus Fletcher when she got her hands on him.

Harry stopped listening to the older woman's mutterings in favour of glancing back at Saber. Despite being more or less recovered from the adrenaline rush, The Boy-Who-Lived was still unsure what to truly make of the black knight whom claimed loyalty to him. He was intimidating enough to be sure and could have easily been mistaken for being part of the dark wizard movement. However, despite this Harry just couldn't seem to find it in himself to be afraid of the knight. Maybe it was because of how Saber had saved his life or maybe it had something to do with the contract the pair had formed, the proof of which resided on the back of Harry's hand. Something about the knight just made it impossible to think of him in any kind of negative light. Harry just hoped that it was a kind of charisma or something rather than a mood-altering magic which the contract had put on him.

"Well, seems like we're here," Mrs. Figg sighed, snapping Harry from his thoughts. The soon-to-be fifteen year old blinked and saw that he was indeed back at Number 4 Privet Drive. The sight of his home made his heart sink. He knew that there was no way to play off what happened to Dudley since his aunt and uncle were going to blame him no matter what, and rightly so for a change since the Dementors were after him in the first place. They would throw him out in a heartbeat for this fiasco.

"Chin up Harry. It'll all work out," Mrs. Figg tried to reassure the young man. "I'll send word to Albus and see if we can't figure out just what the devil is going on," she then looked over to Saber. "As for you, might as well set the boy down and see if you can't hide anywhere. I suppose I have the space if you don't mind cats."

"I refuse to leave my Master's side," Saber retorted.

"Well I hardly believe that the boy's aunt and uncle will let you into the house," Mrs. Figg sighed. "They have a positively medieval attitude towards magic as it is and I sincerely doubt they'd accept you with open arms despite having saved their son."

"If Master allows me to astralize then I can," Saber replied.

"What?" the old woman and the young man blinked simultaneously.

"Master, your magical power is what fuels me," Saber explained. "Should you constrict the flow of magic between us, I will be reverted into a ghost-like state. I will be able to follow you anywhere and keep you safe at all times."

"Well isn't that convenient," Mrs. Figg commented. "Alright then, hand Dudley over and we'll see if Harry can't make that happen. Heaven knows I don't know how we haven't been spotted by the neighbours yet. They're particularly nosy around this area. I've caught them peeking over each others' fences enough times."

Harry nodded before he and Mrs. Figg retrieved Dudley from Saber's grip. Once the unconscious boy was secured and not in danger of dropping to the ground, Harry turned his concentration to what Saber had told him. Harry wasn't quite sure how controlling his magical energy was supposed to work, but he was apparently going to have to limit the flow to Saber in order for him to hide in plain sight. To that end, Harry imagined an image of himself and one of Saber with a glowing blue line connecting the two of them. With the image clear in his mind, Harry imagined a clamp appearing in the middle of the line, making the side Saber was on grow smaller. Not enough to cut the line off completely, but significantly restricted.

"Harry," the voice of Mrs. Figg gasped out.

Harry opened his eyes and immediately almost lost his concentration. Right in front of him, half of Saber's body had turned transparent and his upper half was quickly catching up with the rest of him. Right before his eyes, Saber had turned completely transparent, not looking out of place from the Hogwarts ghosts save for the colour. What was more amazing was the fact that it seemed like Mrs. Figg couldn't see him anymore

"Third True Magic indeed," Mrs. Figg blinked. Shaking her head, shaking her head she turned back to Harry. "Okay Harry, I'll see if I can't speak to Albus and try and figure out what is going on. Obviously if Dementors are running loose then something very bad is happening. You try to keep your head down until school starts or someone gets in contact with you. Hopefully Saber can keep you out of trouble in case something like this happens again."

"Right," Harry sighed.

"Stay strong Harry," Mrs. Figg offered as parting words before she began heading back to her cat-populated house.

Harry watched her go before heaving a sigh and looking back to Number 4. He knew that it was time to face the music, or at least his aunt's shrieking.

"Let's get this over with."

* * *

><p><strong>Granger Residence<strong>

Dan and Emma Granger liked to think that they were rational and tolerant people. They liked to get all of the facts and think things through before they made a decision about things. Granted, for most of the time their daughter had growing up, there were things they couldn't explain. Some events such as when she was a toddler and wanted her favourite teddy bear, it would suddenly pop into her arms. Another event was when she was being bullied by other girls in her class she suddenly vanished and after several hours of searching her school, they found her at home curled up in her bed. Needless to say, they just weren't sure what to make of it, but they adapted as best they could and tried to keep their lives going.

When Minerva McGonagall appeared on their doorstep one day and all but destroyed the Granger's notions of society as they knew it, they felt they took the news pretty well. The Deputy Headmistress calmly explained everything that happened to Hermione in terms of the odd things surrounding her and why. She even guided them through Diagon Alley, Gringotts, and all of the stores they needed to visit in order to get everything Hermione would need in her upcoming schooling. They were a little at odds with how Hermione was going to be missing out on non-magical schooling, but considering how she could have ended up a danger to herself as well as others without proper training they felt it was a good decision.

They still had her doubts when they kept hearing stories of how Hermione wasn't making friends like she had hoped. Then they heard of some of the dangerous things her friend Harry Potter kept getting up to while in school. Hermione vouched for Harry's strength of character over and over, which put to rest any relevant doubts in their minds about the boy. Still, hearing about what amounted to a giant snake attacking the students, a criminal teacher attempting to kill him, a terrorist disguised as a teacher just to get at the boy, and a tournament which had been cancelled due to numerous deaths only for it to be reinstated with little or no new safeguards was completely ridiculous. It seriously brought a number of doubts about the safety of their daughter, especially with the return of this Voldemort fellow who supposedly had made it his mission to remove people like their daughter from magical society simply because she was born to non-magical parents. The only reason they allowed Hermione to continue going to Hogwarts with all of this danger going on was because she was able to learn how to defend herself properly from such people.

Well, that and she could give an excellent argument in any sort of debate.

It was also why they permitted her to research into magic and experiment with potions while she was home. Since she really couldn't use her wand as decreed by magical law, they felt it was safe enough to let her go on her way. When she reported she wanted to try something she found in one of her books in the basement, they gave their permission for it. What they were expecting at the worst was a small bang or a foul smell of some sort from a potion which their daughter may have mucked up in her experiments. What they certainly weren't expecting was the flash of light which came through even their pristine floorboards and the sudden appearance of their daughter's new…friend.

So Emma and Dan were sitting at the living room table with ready-to-serve tea, sitting across from Hermione and her green-clad redheaded friend whom according to the fifteen-year-old she had summoned with the experimentation she had been doing in the basement. Calling himself Archer, he was happily enjoying the tea and making some attempt to calm the two adults' nerves and doing a rather splendid job.

"This is good," Archer complimented the Granger matriarch on her tea. "I never got to enjoy a good drink beyond some ale or water for a long time."

"Um, thank you," Emma nodded. She had to admit that the redhead was quite handsome and had a certain boyish charm which was more than a little enticing. He seemed to exude an aura of relaxation that put everyone in the room at ease, like you could trust this man to help you when you were in need. Despite wanting to grill him about who he was and his intentions towards her daughter, Emma couldn't help but be slightly taken with him.

"So just where did you come from anyway?" asked Dan, not wanting to get sidetracked.

"The Throne of Heroes," Archer replied, pouring himself another cup.

"Throne of Heroes?" asked Hermione, her natural curiosity rearing its head. "What's that?"

"In layman's terms, the place where heroes go when they die," Archer replied, helping himself to some sugar. "There, depending on our deeds and such we are given peace, relaxation, and maybe some new friends we can talk to until such a time we are summoned again for whatever reason. Your daughter just managed to snag me as her Servant."

"So you're some kind of legendary hero then?" asked Emma. "Would we have heard of you?"

"I should think so," Archer smiled. "That's why I'm calling myself Archer right now. Don't want the wrong kinds of people to figure out who I am and find out what I'm capable of."

"You say that like you expect to get into fights," Dan frowned.

"Oh I do," Archer replied, sipping his tea. "You see, if anyone could summon a Servant like me at any time, there would be a whole lot more magi who would be doing it. Sadly, that isn't the case. Only seven people can summon a Servant at a time and when those seven are summoned, a powerful ritual takes place."

"This Holy Grail you mentioned," Hermione answered.

"Yup," Archer nodded. "Basically what happens is; the seven Servants will fight each other until one is left. When that happens, the Holy Grail will appear and grant a wish for the winners. It's a cutthroat free-for-all with no holds barred. There are rules and regulations of course, but basically it's last man standing."

"And what makes you so sure our daughter is involved?" asked Emma, clearly not liking the idea of her daughter having to take part in such an awful competition. "What if someone else tried to summon you and you just ended up appearing in front of her by accident?"

"The Command Spells," Archer replied, settling his cup down. "Master has on her hand a marking which signifies our contract. So long as she holds those markings, she's my Master and thus a participant in the Grail War. Check yourself if you don't believe me."

Hermione flinched slightly when indeed her parents looked to her hand for confirmation to Archer's explanation. Reluctantly, she revealed the back of her right hand which was marked with three glowing arrows which were crossing over one another. Hermione could see her mother wilt under the faint light of the markings while her father grew sterner.

"Just how bad is this supposed war going to get?" asked Dan.

"Bad," Archer replied, no longer looking calm and friendly but rather serious. "Aside from having to keep it all a secret, we Servants have free reign to take out our enemies however we can. We're also empowered by our legends so you can bet that I'm stronger than I was when I was alive and capable of doing things I wasn't able to before. All of us Heroic spirits get that particular perk."

Dan frowned deeply and crossed his arms. This was getting to be too much for him. The whole magic school and becoming a witch thing he could get around with time, but being drafted for a war she had no intention of joining in the first place? Dan wouldn't stand for it. "Is there any way of getting her out of this competition? Can't she give her…Command Seals to someone else?"

"Doesn't work that way as far as I can tell," Archer sighed. "Even if she gave temporary command to someone else, she'd still be my Master, just with someone else acting in her stead as a representative. Sure, she'd probably be a bit safer but it would be harder for me to protect her since I'd have to look out for my temporary Master too. I'm sorry to have to worry you like this, but this is one of those things that when they start up, they're impossible to stop until it's over."

"No, it's better we get through this now rather than find out later when you drag Hermione home half-exhausted from fighting someone like King Arthur or something," Emma sighed, massaging the bridge of her nose. "You mentioned there would be six others. Do you know anything about them?"

"Just their Classes I'm afraid," Archer shrugged.

"Classes?" asked Hermione, daring to speak up.

"Basically, the seven ways Servants are grouped together judging by their skill set," Archer explained, helping himself yet another cup of tea. "For example, I'm Archer. That means I'm good at long-range combat and pretty light on my feet if or when the time comes. I've also got some of the best technique among the seven Classes." He paused to take a sip of tea. "Oh, I'm also resistant to magic too. Low level spells won't work on me and it'll take some considerable power to get me with the medium-level things or else I can shrug those off too."

"And the others?" asked Dan, although he did like what he heard of Archer's Class abilities. Dealing with magic made a natural resistance valuable, not to mention he liked the idea of sniping while Archer kept his daughter out of harm's way.

"Well, next there's Rider," Archer continued. "Riders are Heroes who specialize at cavalry-style combat. You know, like the stories of knights who ride in on a white steed and things like that. Only it's not always easy to figure out what they ride sometimes. They could be riding chariots or mythical creatures and we wouldn't know until they bring those things out. "

"That's two," Emma frowned. Two classes and she wals already beginning to feel overwhelmed for her daughter.

"After that is Lancer. For as fast as I could be, Lancers are usually faster. They're specialized for speed fighting and their weapons of choice are spears or lances. Their range is pretty good, but its better suited for close fighting rather than real long range like I can fight. Oh, they can resist magic like I can too."

"I'm almost afraid to ask about the others," Hermione gulped.

"Well I'm going ahead anyway," Archer grinned, taking another sip. "Next is Saber, hailed as one of the greatest classes and obviously the best when it comes to swords. Anyone who takes part in the Grail Wars usually tries to go for Saber first. They're some of the toughest opponents and like me and Lancer, naturally resistant to magic thanks to our Classes. That's sort of what can make summoning Lancer, Archer, or Saber so difficult because they have a high resistance to the magic which is used to summoning them."

"Are all of the Classes able to resist magic?" asked Hermione with some slight fear.

"No, but depending on the Servant it may not matter," Archer answered. "Case in point, Caster. These Servants are the kinds of heroes who used magic as their mean weapon during their lives. Compared to modern magi, these guys are as tough as you can get. They are capable of using spells no one has seen in a long time, much less heard of. They don't have a magical resistance due to their Class, but they know their way around magic so well it probably doesn't matter."

"So three of the seven can resist magic while another can use it on a level of mastery?" asked Dan. "What about the other two?"

"Berserker, probably the worst to go up against but the hardest to control," the redhead replied. "These Servants are heroes who went mad at some point in their lives. They're summoned crazy and their madness enhances their strength and some of their abilities. It can also work against them in some of the more precision-oriented skills but they can get so strong that it doesn't really matter."

"Oh my…" Emma gasped. "You don't think someone like Hercules would qualify, do you?"

"Who?" asked Archer.

"He's a….he's a hero from Greek legend," Emma gulped. "He was the son of the greatest of the Greek gods, Zeus. His legend states that one day he was just driven mad for some reason and killed his family. When he returned to sanity, he saw what he did and begged for redemption. He got it when he completed twelve supposedly impossible tasks."

"If that's the legend, then this Hercules guy will definitely qualify. Hope he wasn't summoned for this War," Archer frowned, making Emma turn pale.

"What's the last one?" asked Dan.

"Assassin," Archer replied. "No clue which hero could qualify for that one, but apparently they are there. They have the ability to conceal their presence from others so it's pretty hard to pin them down unless they show themselves. Even I'd have trouble shooting one unless I had a clear view of the guy. All in all, these guys probably defined the term 'silent killing'."

"No pressure," Hermione gulped.

"Can't really sugar-coat something like this," the redhead sighed.

"Boy is that an understatement," Emma snorted.

"No kidding," Archer snickered. Reaching forward, he grabbed the teapot, but found it empty. Since the Granger's hadn't touched their own cups since Archer had begun his explanation, it was quite obvious who had emptied it. Glancing at the empty teapot, he placed it back down and looked to Emma. "More tea please?"

* * *

><p><strong>Lovegood Residence<strong>

Luna walked down the stairs and into the kitchen of her home with Caster following obediently. The green armoured knight looked somewhat out of place inside the modest home of the Lovegood family, but considering how Xenophilius and Luna chose to perceive the world and the various beings which may or may not exist in it, he actually fit in quite well with them. Speaking of the esteemed editor of _The Quibbler_, Xenophilius was having some of his evening tea as he read one of the previous issues of his magazine upside down at the dinner table.

"Hello muffin," Xenophilius greeted his daughter. Glancing up from his magazine, he spotted Caster following his daughter. "Is this your new friend?"

"Yes Daddy," Luna nodded as she approached the table. "Daddy, this is Caster. Caster, this is my Daddy."

"Pleasure to meet you Mr. Caster," Xenophilius greeted, nodding to the knight.

"Sir," Caster replied with his own nod, taking the father and daughter pair's personality quirks in easy stride.

"It's so good to see you making new friends Dear," Xenophilius smiled at his daughter as she and her Servant took a seat at the table. Xeno drew up (literally) a pair of teacups and presented them to the pair. Luna politely took the teapot and drew some tea for the both of them. Taking a cup for herself, she passed one to Caster who seemed content to enjoy the scent for the time being.

"I'm quite surprised that you managed to be summoned Mr. Caster," Xenophilius commented from his paper. "My wife tried for many years to find a way to summon if only for a better idea how to reach Akasha. Is your appearance here a sign that a new Grail War is beginning?"

"I'm afraid so, yes," Caster nodded. "One your daughter has officially joined."

"Ah, how exciting," Xenophilius smiled. "Usually the Grail Wars are held in Fuyuki City all the way over in Japan and I'm afraid our travel budgets just don't have the ability to travel that far out these days. Even if we did have the capital, we just never know when one is going to begin. The Mage's Association has been awfully stingy about that information. Having a War occur here in England would be such a surprise for everyone," perking as if an idea came to him, Xeno turned to his daughter. "Moonflower, if you can manage it see if you can't interview some of the other Servants for the War. It's not everyday one meets legendary heroes on the street. Well, not these days anyway."

"I will Daddy," Luna smiled. "Do you think King Arturia was summoned this time?"

Luna nor Xeno really noticed Caster perk slightly at the name.

"I should hope so," Xeno sighed wistfully. "Interviewing her would be such a help to history as we know it. All of the mysteries she could clear up about Merlin and Morgan le Fay would possibly rewrite the history textbooks. I keep telling everyone and showing them the solid evidence that King Arthur was in fact born Arturia Pendragon. However, no one seems quite willing to believe that one of the most powerful kings in all of Britain was a woman. I wonder why."

Caster looked to the side, but the slight shaking of his shoulders told him that he was rather amused.

"They'll come around Daddy," Luna reassured her father.

"One day," Xeno nodded. Sighing to rid himself of doubt, he looked to Caster. "So Mr. Caster, is there anything we should be made aware of about the upcoming Grail War? We're in the middle of a Dark Lord crisis ourselves at the moment and we wouldn't want to step on anyone's toes after all. We must take our turns with our wars."

"I…would say there was an official to mediate the war…" Caster began. "But…the Grail has not alerted me with even a hint."

"Hm, do you think it might be an unsanctioned War?" asked Luna.

"Maybe. How strange," Xeno replied. "Well, if we're going to get to the bottom of this, we're going to have to make like journalists and see what we can learn about the situation."

"I thought that the Ministry didn't want to admit that the Grail War exists since that would mean the Mage's Association managed to take magic to a further level than they had," Luna commented idly with a sip of her tea.

"The Ministry won't admit it, but Unspeakables will," Xeno answered with a dreamy smile. "After all, who would believe that one of them said anything?"

"Oh, how clever," Luna smiled.

Caster merely watched the father and daughter pair interact. They were rather odd, but endearingly so. They took in everything he told them with ease and seemed to have a fair bit of information of their own. They didn't seem to care much for the Grail itself, but rather the chance to meet Heroic Spirits like himself.

"Well then, business aside and all that," Xeno smiled as he set down his magazine. "Are there any adventures you had which you might be able to regale us with Mr. Caster?"

The green knight smiled behind his helmet. Oh yes, he might truly enjoy his time here.

* * *

><p><strong>#4 Privet Drive<strong>

Harry's return to Number 4 Privet Drive was just about as bad as he had expected it to be. With Dudley just barely returning to consciousness and brought in the door by Harry, his Aunt Petunia unleashed a most horrifying shriek. She was instantly at Dudley's side, pushing Harry aside and fretting over the large boy and constantly asking what had happened. Dudley seemed able to speak, but he didn't say anything to condemn or defend Harry, which seemed to make Harry guilty by default…as usual.

That was when Uncle Vernon came down the stairs and grabbed Harry by the back of the neck, pushing him into the living room with what felt like the force of a train.

"What happened!" the man growled out, his face turning into an interesting shade of red. "What did you do to my boy!"

"It wasn't me! We were attacked by Dementors!" Harry cried out, clawing at Vernon's hand.

"Dementors? What the bloody hell are Dementors?" the walrus-like man bellowed, pushing Harry into the living room where Petunia had placed Dudley onto the couch and was fanning him. Well, the woman had been fanning him until she heard mention of the Azkaban prison guards. Her shocked face distracted Harry for a moment, surprising him that she knew about the creatures.

"I asked you a question boy!" Vernon bellowed, his face turning purple at the edges.

"They're prison guards…" Petunia gasped out, causing Harry and Vernon to freeze. Both of them turned to look at the woman who had a growing look of horror over her face.

"Pet, you know those…Demento-things?" Vernon blinked.

"Dementors," Petunia shivered. "They're…they're prison guards for a place called Azkaban. It's a prison…for _them_. They…they suck people's souls out. Make them relive their worst memories. My sister…warned me about them…before she disappeared."

It was probably supposed to be scary to an extent and part of Harry's mind hoped that it would relay just how horrible the Dementors really were. However, Vernon quickly grabbed Harry by the lapels of his shirt and yanked him up close.

"You dare bring this FREAKISHNESS to my house?" he bellowed, his facing going absolute crimson from his rage. "Prison guards no less! I knew you were no good! I knew bringing you in would bring nothing but trouble! That's it! I've had enough! I want you and your freakish ways OUT! NOW!" He punctuated the statement by throwing Harry into the main hallway. The fifteen-year old stumbled and tripped across a misshaped floorboard and landed heavily on his back. Vernon didn't seem to care as he advanced on Harry with a bellow which wouldn't have sounded all that off from an enraged bear and his arm rearing back for to Harry was a quite recognizable signal for an approaching slap/punch.

Harry was sure he lost all feeling in his body waiting for the blow to come.

POW!

A punch did land, but it wasn't one that Vernon was aiming at Harry. Instead, it came from a black armoured arm that was floating in the air. Spreading from the shoulder joint was the rest of the body which Harry associated with Saber. The black knight fully materialized on the hardwood floor, lowering his fist. Harry blinked at the sudden appearance before he realized that Vernon had actually been launched down the hall and through the kitchen door from the force of the punch Saber had landed on him. Petunia was already screaming at the sight of the nightmarish knight, almost as if her screams would be able to drive him away from her and Dudley.

"You will not harm my Master," the knight growled, not really caring if Vernon was in any condition to listen to him.

"Saber…" Harry gasped, looking at his Servant.

"I apologize for not dealing with this cretin sooner Master," Saber commented, glancing at Harry over his shoulder. "I would have come to your aid faster, but it seemed you had forgotten to unleash your magic into the bond again."

Harry felt his face heat up slightly, feeling like he had made a rather silly mistake. Saber didn't seem to wait for a reply as he turned his gaze on Petunia and Dudley, the former of which clammed up as the knight's gaze landed on her. The black knight didn't make any threatening moves towards her though. Instead, he decided to speak to her, "Go check on your husband. I am very sure I broke his nose if not his jaw with that one blow."

Petunia gulped and nodded rapidly before she managed to somehow get Dudley back to his feet and race for the kitchen where Vernon had landed. Her sobbing over her husband was quite clear even through the closed doorway of the room. Satisfied that the Dursleys were not going to come near them, Saber finally turned his attention to his Master.

"Are you all right Master?" he asked, approaching Harry.

"Y-yes," Harry nodded. He attempted to stand up, but Saber somehow managed to gently grasp his arm despite the clawed form his gauntlets took before pulling him back onto his feet proper. "Thank-you."

"You are my Master. Your health and safety are my highest concerns," Saber replied.

Harry easily guessed that he was probably not going to see his relatives for the rest of the night and decided to head for the stairs to his room. He had enough excitement for one night. Seeing no reason to return into his spectral form, Saber followed. The added weight of his body and armour made the stairs creak in protest. Both made their way to the second bedroom where Harry called his private space. It was quite noticeable since it had several locks on the outside of the door and a dog door which the Durseleys had slid food into during his second year when they tried to lock him up so to prevent him from ever going back to Hogwarts again.

Inside the room wasn't much better. It was filled with the toys and such one would have when they were growing up, but not one of them belonged to Harry. All of it was the toys and such that Dudley broke growing up so they just tossed them into this room while Harry had to sleep in a cupboard under the stairs. Every single toy in the room was destroyed in some way shape or form save for the posters on the wall and the books which Dudley had tossed in there since he didn't want them. It had gotten a few of Harry's personal touches since he was allowed to move in be it his trunk, some books from previous years, but the most treasured spot was a loose floorboard which Harry kept his most precious mementoes from his friends. The only other company Harry had was Hedwig, his snow white owl who was currently in her cage, staring at Saber quite sternly.

"It's okay girl. He's with me," Harry sighed, sitting down next to the cage and opening the door so Hedwig could hop onto his arm. As much as Harry wanted to hear from his friends, they never sent Harry a letter nor was Hedwig able to get a reply whenever he tried to send a letter. Hedwig would always come back looking rather irate or insulted. She wouldn't have the letter anymore, but there would be no reply either.

The white owl seemed to take Harry's word for Saber's character and settled down on her perch. Harry was just glad that somebody wasn't overreacting or going insane over Saber's presence. Sighing, he flopped back onto his bed and just started staring at the ceiling.

"Do you always live like this Master?" asked Saber as he examined the room.

"Everyday save for when I'm at school," was the boy's reply.

"Then why stay?"

"Because I don't have anywhere else to go," Harry sighed, turning his head to look at Saber. "Or rather, everyone in the places I could go would just send me back here. Apparently there's some kind of protection over this place that's keeping me safe from anyone in the outside world who wants to hurt me."

"But not from the people within," Saber added. He walked closer to the opposite wall with the rising moon illuminating his dark armour, almost like it was absorbing it. "I sensed the wards when you and the woman led me here. I profess to being no true master in the magical arts, but these wards do not seem to be very good."

"Some days I didn't think so either," Harry sighed. "They're tied to my blood relations or something. I think it's supposed to be powered by how my relatives 'love' me."

"Master, I have seen true love and what those people show is most certainly not it," Saber spoke. "I must admit they have some compassion to take you in and raise you since it seems to me that you are adopted, but compassion can only go so far and it is a very far cry from love."

"Don't I know it," Harry sighed, looking back up to the ceiling. "It seems like the weight of the world is on my shoulders and everyone is just happy to heap more onto me to see if I'll break or solve their problems for them."

"I know the feeling to an extent," Saber nodded, crossing his arms. He looked over to the bed where his young Master seemed to be burrowing into depression. "A friend once told me that it is good to speak about your problems. If it doesn't help bring a new solution, then it would at least a feel a little better to let it out."

Harry had to admit that it was good advice, but more often than not he didn't try to follow it. Harry had grown up more or less independent and wasn't used to having anyone to rely on for his problems. Now that he did, he didn't like burdening them with his problems. Of course lately it seemed that when he did try to get help for his problems he only ended up being disappointed by the result not being as helpful as he hoped or just getting more frustration for it. Still, Saber had literally dropped into his life from nowhere. He would probably not be too great of a help, but he couldn't be any more harmful either.

"I suppose you can say it all started back when I was a baby…"

* * *

><p><strong>Malfoy Manor<strong>

Lucius sat in his personal sitting room as he pondered the events of the day thus far. A lot had happened to say the least. Einzbern's plan to force the Holy Grail down to Earth was a failure, but in the end what they triggered was another Grail War in England rather than getting the Grail itself. The Dark Lord had summoned the mad Servant, Berserker. Just looking at the white-haired madman brought shivers up the hardened Death Eater's spine. Few things could intimidate or scare him, the Dark Lord being among them. However, Berserker managed to force himself onto that list with just a deep look into his eyes. With the plan proving not to be a complete loss, the Dark Lord ordered all of them to make their own summoning arrays and summon the remaining six Servants. Einzbern had summoned Rider, his 'dear' sister-in-law summoned Lancer, and Lucius himself had called forth Assassin.

Lucius had to admit that Assassin was a very fine woman. Were it not for the fact that she could kill him in at least ten different ways, he would have had her service him regularly and often. Oh he could force her to do such with his Command Spells, but he only had three of them and using one for such a frivolous order would no doubt bring about a dire punishment from the Dark Lord. The Command Seals were meant to be used in case of emergencies and using them up would more or less mean death should the Servant not like you.

Assassin did definitely not like Lucius, the Dark Lord, or any of the Death Eaters. The Death Eaters had been in their robes and masks when they summoned their Servants and ever since laying eyes on them, Lucius could feel a glare on him whenever Assassin would turn her eyes towards him. She hid it on a level which Lucius found astonishing, but Lucius was used to people glaring at him behind his back so he knew it was her. Why she disliked him so suddenly, he didn't know nor did he really care. So long as she remembered who was the Master was he really didn't care all that much.

At the moment, he was watching Assassin amuse herself as she waited for an order much like how Lucius was waiting for word with the Dark Lord who was in conference with Einzbern. The black-skinned woman had her back turned to him, showing off her smooth behind and devilishly toned legs. Her hair looked incredibly soft as it brushed against her body as she dipped her head to examine something. When she turned her head slightly, he could see her smooth back and bare shoulders. In fact, the only mar against her beauty he could think of was the skull-like mask she wore at all times and even then she somehow made it look just as alluring, desiring to take her just to take off that mask and see her face beneath.

"Do you like what you see Master?" Assassin asked coyly, her fingers trailing across the mantle of a fireplace while turning her gaze to Lucius.

"Hn," Lucius grunted, ignoring the flirtatious tone in Assassin's voice. Against any other man, Assassin would be playing with them like toys. Lucius knew better though. He knew what she was and what she was capable of. Despite knowing this, despite having a wife and son, despite all of that his body still craved her. His urges demand he go over and turn her into his pleasure slave. Despite all of his knowledge and control, he was finding it most difficult to resist.

"I could truly be yours," she continued. "Just order it."

Lucius grit his teeth and tried to ignore the perspiration on his forehead. He looked to his hand to try and ignore Assassin's voice and body. He let his eyes gaze deeply into the skull like marking which was split into three sections with the right side, left side, and the jaw separated slightly into three different parts. It helped calm his mind and keep his thought away from carnal subjects, especially the teasing and offerings of his Servant. Taking a deep breath, he allowed his posture to reassert itself.

Assassin, seeing that her Master had resisted, dropped her aura of seduction and returned to her more professional and cold stance. Lucius could already hear the words 'your loss' ringing in his ears. He didn't mind too much though. He knew who Assassin truly was and her legend help him remember why he refused her quite blatant advances.

She was one of the 19 leaders of a cult of assassins known as Hashashin, her personal name being Hassan-I-Sabbah. Muggle and magical alike in during their prime had enough sense to fear them. Their legends were quite numerous, but what made them so terrifying in so many ways was how they managed to execute their targets with such phenomenal ease that it made even experienced wizards gape at what happened. The leaders were supposedly immortal, but Lucius knew better though with most of the leaders being men or perhaps in his Servant's case just well-disguised it would be hard to dispute especially in the days of silly superstition. She was probably one who helped define the word assassin. Lucius knew that cunning and ambition didn't begin to describe one of the Hassan-I-Sabbah. He would have to remain especially sharp lest she find a way to betray him. All she would need was one opening and he would be dead, Command Spells be damned.

As Assassin and Lucius stared at one another, he felt the Dark Mark hidden on his arm begin to burn. He was being called by the Dark Lord. Rising from his chair, Lucius headed for the door to his sitting room, "Come."

"Yes Master."

* * *

><p><strong>#4 Privet Drive—Harry's Room<strong>

Harry didn't hold anything back. He told Saber about Voldemort, his subsequent abandonment to the Dursleys, discovering magic, and his adventures in Hogwarts. He told Saber about fighting the troll, defeating the challenges for the Sorcerer's Tone, facing Voldemort, the Basilisk, the possessed diary, Sirius, Wormtail, the truth about his parents, the Triwizard Tournament, how the school seemed to turn against him, Voldemort's revival, and finally his all around frustration with Fudge and the Ministry's denying the reality of said return.

Saber patiently listened to everything, not moving from his spot. Listening as Harry talked about his time at the school which became a second home to him. He listened to the things which Harry found amazing and wonderful about it and again listened to the things which drove Harry out of his mind with frustration. Harry knew at times that he was sounding childish while other times he talked about things that a fifteen-year old should not have to worry about. Thick and thin, Saber listened to all of it patiently and without a word to condemn or condone anything Harry had done. It was well into the night by the time Harry's story wound down.

When Harry finished, he waited for some kind of word on Saber's opinion. Even if the knight didn't really have much of an opinion over what had happened in his Master's life, Harry strangely felt much better after telling the story. Maybe the advice Saber's friend had given had some weight to it after all.

After another moment of silence, Saber spoke, "You have led quite an interesting life for one so young. My adventures didn't begin until I was well into manhood."

"I've never been considered normal I guess," Harry smiled weakly. "I just wish there was a way to stop Voldemort now before he starts another war."

"…" Saber remained silent for another moment. "Then it seems fate is weaving an intricate tapestry indeed."

"What do you mean?"

Saber looked up at Harry from where he was leaning against the wall, "Master, surely you can agree that abruptly summoning me is not something usually seen before." Seeing Harry nod, he continued, "That would mean that you summoning me serves a great important in the future ahead and maybe it will involve both this Voldemort and the Holy Grail War."

"What?" Harry blinked, sitting up for the first time. "Holy Grail? You mean THE Holy Grail?" He paused again. "Wait, what war?"

"No, it is just a name," Saber answered. "As for the War, summoning one such as myself is reserved for only seven individuals. The rules state that we will do combat with them and the last one standing will receive the Holy Grail and a wish for anything they desire."

"A…a wish?" Harry blinked. "For anything?"

"Anything," Saber restated.

Harry blinked again. His mind barely registered the war part, but the wish was mainly playing in front of his eyes. If Saber was telling the truth, and Harry had no reason to distrust him this far, then this could be his chance to put an end to Voldemort once and for all before more innocent people like Cedric got killed because of the madman. The War part seemed to be the only snag in the idea, making Harry wonder if he was about to get into another fight for his life. At the very least, it seemed that this time it might have more in it for him than simply stopping the bad guy from getting anything and receiving little to no thanks for his actions. While Harry was by far everything atypical of the definition 'glory hound' he would have appreciated a little more thanks from more people than just his friends every once in a while.

"So…what should I do?" asked Harry.

"I am but a Servant. I exist to follow orders, not give them," Saber answered.

"Then what would you suggest, as someone who knows about this?' Harry pressed.

Before Saber could give any kind of answer, a brown owl quite suddenly fluttered up to the windowsill, apparently as far away from Saber as it could. The bird scanned the room and spotted Harry before fluttering across the air and landing on his bed and sticking its leg out expectantly. Attached to said leg was a brown section of parchment sealed with wax, indicating that it was a letter and likely addressed to Harry.

Confused, Harry untied the letter and let the owl fly away before he opened it himself. Once the parchment was opened, Harry scanned over the words scrawled inside.

_Dear Mr. Potter_

_It has come to our attention that a powerful magical discharge was released inside Little Whinging several hours ago. In accordance, you are hereby under investigation for breaking the International Statue of Wizarding Secrecy as well as underage magic use. In accordance with this investigation, you are expected to cooperate fully with any and all investigators during this time._

_Your cooperation is highly appreciated_

_Mafalda Hopkirk_

_Head of the Improper Use of Magic Office_

"Great, just great…" sighed Harry.

"Master, what is wrong?" asked Saber, standing up properly at hearing the tone in his Master's voice.

"I'm basically being investigated for underage magic use outside of Hogwarts," Harry, replied as he reread the letter again. "I guess when I summoned you the magic used was detected and since I'm the only wizard within the area, they want me to 'cooperate'." That was basically saying Harry was guilty before being proven innocent. It was also giving him flashbacks of when Dobby tried to frame him for using magic. Again, he was blamed since he was the only one in Little Whinging who could use magic.

"It was not like you had any choice in the matter, Master," reasoned Saber. "Your life was in danger. I think self-preservation is much more important than obeying a law that would sooner have you killed than defend yourself."

"The world isn't a simple place, Saber," the bespectacled boy replied, dropping the letter. One of the things about the wizarding world he didn't like was the fact that common sense didn't seem to apply when it really needed to. That aside, Fudge was probably personally against him for daring to try and claim Voldemort had returned and that several of the Minister's important friends were in fact still active Death Eaters. "Indeed it isn't, Master. So, what will you do now?" asked Saber.

"Find a way to defend myself, I guess," shrugged Harry. It would be tough though. He had next to no idea how a wizarding investigation was carried out much less a court hearing if it went that far, which he didn't doubt it would. Add to that how obviously biased against him it would be with Fudge at the reins then things were going to get very difficult in the future.

"Perhaps I can assist you," volunteered Saber.

"Hm?" Harry blinked, looking up from his downward spiral of thoughts. "What do you mean Saber?"

* * *

><p><strong>Malfoy Manor<strong>

Lars sat in his room, looking over the numerous texts he managed to 'liberate' from both the Einzbern Family Library and Clock Tower on the subject of the Grail War. As one of the three founding families of the War, the Einzberns had a lot of knowledge on just how the whole thing started up. Clock Tower's knowledge of the subject wasn't as complete as the Einzberns' was, but it had lots more theoretical work done to it to try and figure out how to replicate it elsewhere besides Fuyuki City. It was all that theory work that the Americans put to use in their own attempts at a Grail War, but they ended up making a mockery with it in the end. Honestly, those incompetents had completely lost the Saber Class save for the Master who would be forced to Summon a Saber during battles, and not all of the Servants were actual heroes. One was Jack the Ripper as Berserker and the other was the fecking Black Death as Rider. And the Americans dared claim they had an official Grail War on their hands? Lars certainly didn't think so.

Right now, Lars was looking into why his Confoundus Ritual failed and instead triggered a new Grail War instead. The Dark Lord wasn't pleased that it failed and got Yaxley killed in the process, but since he still had a chance at the Grail still as one of the Seven Masters, he was willing to let it go. Since Lars was the only expert they had on the Grail Wars, he was allowed to still be alive without even torture since Yaxley's sacrifice brought out Berserker. An unexpected reprieve from a man not known for his restraint or his control over his temper, but Lars was certainly not going to complain about it. Still, he had to figure out even if the Grail War was won, where would it appear? It wouldn't do if the Dark Lord won the entire war but missed out on the Holy Grail because it appeared in muggle London and used up by some homeless piece of trash.

"_Can we kill anything yet Master?_" Rider's echoing voice sounded out from behind Lars.

The bastard Einzbern turned and glanced at the hooded Servant that was leaning against the far wall examining his sword like he hadn't just asked for bloodshed. It was the Servant's actions that made Lars doubt that he had gotten the strict line of what defined 'Hero' down properly since he had never heard of a Heroic Spirit being so bloodthirsty. Okay, so Anti-Heroes were allowed into the Throne of Heroes too, but the only kinds he had heard about were from the 5th War such as Medusa or Medea. They weren't bloodthirsty per say, but definitely not known for heroic deeds. They were more known for doing horrific things in the name of good…sometimes.

"We're not fighting yet Rider," Lars frowned. "Control yourself."

"_My collection is gathering dust. My sword craves blood,_" Rider retorted. "_Do not make me wait for very long._"

"You will do as you are told Servant!" Lars snapped back. "Know your place!"

Lars could feel the glare from his Servant from across the room. Still, the bastard Einzbern kept his cool. He had read the reports of previous Wars which Clock Tower managed to throw together from those who managed to survive. He knew that some Servants could be unruly and if the Masters had a weaker will, they could very well become the ones manipulated by the those they were supposed to be in control of.

"_Only if you remember yours,_" Rider spoke back in a most ominous tone. The statement was punctuated by him running his fingers across his blade. Lars knew from his time growing up in the Einzbern family that he was being threatened. Still, Lars also knew that so long as he had the Command Spells, he would be safe but he would also have to be incredibly careful on how to use them if or when the situation which warranted them came up. It seemed that Rider already didn't like him and without protection, would cut him down if he could.

Just another day in the life of Lars Von Einzbern.

* * *

><p><strong>#4 Privet Drive<strong>

* * *

><p>"<em>Stupefy!<em>"

Harry was out of bed in a flash. He had just gotten to sleep after Saber told him of an idea he had in regards to the investigation Harry was about to be put through. Now he was suddenly under attack as someone began casting spells. Rolling away from his door and dropping to the side of his bed, Harry grapped his glasses and slapped them onto his face, preparing to face whoever it was that was attacking him…

SMASH!

"Bloody hell!" a female voice cried out.

Harry blinked, suddenly realizing that he wasn't alone in the room in the first place. Looking over to where Saber was seated while he slept, Harry saw that his black knight was missing. Daring to poke his head over the bed, he saw that the door frame of his room was effectively broken like something bigger than it had forced its way through rather than squeezing itself in. Across from his room, the railing which would protect people from falling over was missing, broken clean off. Down on the ground floor, spellfire was going off as Harry heard a number of jinxes and other disabling curses. Judging from the cries of those below, they weren't working all that well either.

Cautiously walking towards his door, Harry peered out to see what the bloody hell was going on and actually discovered a familiar face leaning over the rail, apparently trying to curse something down below, "Mr. Weasley?"

"Harry?" the redheaded father of seven blinked, glancing to see The-Boy-Who-Lived. "Oh thank Merlin you're all right! Just stay back! We'll deal with this!"

Under normal circumstances, Harry may have obeyed if it seemed that things were in hand. However, the bespectacled boy also knew that Saber was likely in the middle of all of it and likely might not stop until everyone was down. So, he ran up to the railing and looked down to the main hall. Sure enough, Saber was approaching a pair of people Harry had never seen before. One was a man who seemed rather ordinary looking save for his foreign appearance while the other was a woman with shocking pink hair. Both of them were sending several curses, jinxes, and other spells but no matter what they cast, all of the spells were just bouncing off of Saber's steel armour.

Behind Saber and clearly unconscious on the ground was none other than Alastor Moody, the retired auror who had been hailed as one of the best. Harry was quite willing to guess that Moody must have taken one look at Saber and decided that he was a possible threat and moved to stun him so they could interrogate him. It certainly fit with the man's paranoid tendancies. Saber quite obviously didn't aim to go quietly and was aiming to eliminate everyone so to protect Harry.

"Saber, stop!" Harry called down to the black knight.

Saber did indeed stop and glanced up to his Master, but keeping the two wizards in his sights, "Master, these assassins came for unknown reasons. They snuck inside the house before one tried to incapacitate me. I am eliminating a threat to your life."

"I know two of them!" Harry retorted. "The one who attacked you thought you were a threat to me! They aren't assassins!"

Saber glanced back at the pair in front of him, making both flinch as they felt his stare on them. Seeing that the situation was calm for the time being, Harry walked past Mr. Weasley and down the stairs so to approach his Servant.

"Harry, step away from that…thing!" said Mr. Weasley cautiously, following the young man.

"It's alright, Mr. Weasley," said Harry calmly. "Saber here is…harmless." Well, as harmless as a knight in dark armor could get. This was like déjà vu all over again when he told Mrs. Figg that Saber was his Servant and that he'd summoned him. "Saber, please stand down."

"As you wish, Master," said Saber obediently but he still kept his guard up.

"Harry, what's going on?" asked Mr. Weasley, confused. "Who is that and why did he call you 'Master'?"

"Mr. Weasley, a lot has happened," Harry answered with a weak grin.

* * *

><p><strong>To Be Continued...<strong>

A/N: This is a progression of events as well as some of the activities of the participants as well as their interactions with their Servants. Obviously, some are having an easier time of it than others. Also, seems like the Lovegoods have stumbled onto a supposedly hidden truth which no one was supposed to know.


	3. A Black Knight in a Black House

I do not own Harry Potter or Fate/Stay Night. Those belong to their respective creators and not me. Anyone who wants to sue me for it on behalf of Type Moon or J. K. Rowling are going to be very disappointed. I am only writing this for fun and for no other reasons so just sit back and enjoy it.

Fate/Ingens Cor

By Ten-Faced Paladin

Chapter 3: A Black Knight in a Black House

#4 Privet Drive was filled with tense atmosphere as Saber stared down the two adults Harry didn't know. Mr. Weasley was keeping an eye on Saber as he manoeuvred himself to Moody so to revive him. Harry was just hoping that he could keep Saber from attacking them, or that the adults wouldn't do anything that he would interpret as a threat to him. The Dursleys were already going to be angry from the punch to the jaw Saber dealt Vernon and he didn't want to know how they would react to the damage Saber caused by tackling Moody off of the second floor landing and onto the first floor. Speaking of which…

"_Enervate._"

Moody's groan sounded off as the spell did its work and brought him back to consciousness. However, the pain from the impact was still with him as Mr. Weasley helped him up to his feet. The scarred man was quick to return to his senses, but that just gave him the ability to voice his pains, "What the bloody hell hit me? A rampaging dragon?"

"That would have been this fellow," Mr. Weasley answered, gesturing to Saber. Helping Moody to his feet, he tried to examine his friend. "Knocked your clear off your feet before both of you hit the floor. How do you feel? Anything broken?"

"My fake leg seems to have taken the worst of it," the one-eyed man grunted. He seemed unsteady on his feet, with one of his legs looking rather wobbly. "Sore like a bugger, but I think I got off lucky." Wobbling through the hallway, the one-eyed man gazed up at Saber. "Now just who is this?"

"He calls himself Saber," Harry helpfully replied, hoping not to start off another fight. "I somehow summoned him today and he protected me from the Dementors. He thought you were all assassins and attacked you."

"It didn't help when you tried to stun the man too," Mr. Weasley sighed. "Arabella told us specifically who he was and what he looked like."

"And I told Dumbledore that we can't trust someone just because he conveniently popped up to rescue Harry," Moody grumped back. He gestured at Saber who was silent and still, "Just look at him! Everything about him screams Dark! I think an interrogation isn't out of the question considering we're up against You-Know-Who!"

"My loyalty to my Master is absolute," Saber spoke in a very cold tone as he turned to regard Moody.

"And just who is your Master I wonder?' Moody frowned back.

"Enough!" Mr. Weasley cried out, snapping both Saber and Moody out of their apparent deadlock. "Alastor, this paranoia is getting us nowhere. Right now we need to get Harry out of here and if this Saber fellow is a servant of some kind then he can come too," shaking his head, he looked to Harry and the two at the front door. "Harry, best to get your things. We've got a long flight ahead of us. Nymphadora, could you help him out?"

"Arthur, I've told you time and time again, call me Tonks!" the witch frowned as she (cautiously) began to approach Harry. "Wotcher Harry! So, which one's your room?"

"Um…this way," Harry gestured, not quite sure about the new faces in the house but reassured that the people he trusted, trusted him in turn. Both he and the witch travelled up the stares and into the bedroom which Harry called his. He idly noticed that instead of becoming interested by the numerous muggle things in the room like he had noticed what few wizards managed to see it, the lady seemed to find them completely ordinary as he led her to the spot where he kept his schoolbooks and Hedwig stashed.

"So, level with me Harry," the woman, Tonks whispered. "Just where did you find that bloke anyway? I don't think I've ever seen anyone like him before."

"He just…popped up when those Dementors were coming at me," Harry shrugged as he passed Tonks his books. He would carry Hedwig personally. "I haven't been able to ask him about where he came from. He just showed up and saved me and Dudley from those Dementors. After that, he claimed I'm his Master."

"Weird," Tonks blinked as she accepted the books. Shrugging, she turned back to her more professional air. "Right, is this everything then?"

"The rest is under the stairs in my trunk," Harry answered, picking up Hedwig's cage as gently as he could. He didn't want to make his snowy owl any more upset with him than she had been in the past. "This is just my summer work."

"Bleh, don't remind me," Tonks sighed. It was a long suffering sigh of someone who recently had to deal with so much homework for the summer holidays. Harry had heard his friend Ron use it many, many times over the years that he had known him. "Snape's was the worst if you ask me."

"No kidding," Harry nodded, remembering the spiteful potions master of Hogwarts, his father's childhood enemy.

The two returned to the first floor where the three wizards and Saber were waiting. Moody looked ready to try and hex Saber again despite knowing how such an assault would end up for him. Saber of course looked as stoic as ever, a sharp contrast to the patient and advisable knight that Harry had told all his problems to just a few hours before. He didn't look as if Moody's glares nor the unknown wizard's gazes were affecting him. Mr. Weasley on the other hand was already pulling Harry's belongings out of the cupboard under the stairs.

"Everything set Harry?" asked Mr. Weasley as he spied the teenager and the pink-haired witch.

"Yes Mr. Weasley," Harry nodded as he and Tonks reached the landing. "But where are we going? The Burrow?"

"No, not secure enough," Moody interrupted, making Mr. Weasley roll his eyes. "Dumbledore's got an even better place lined up."

"Dumbledore?" Harry blinked as Mr. Weasley handed him his Firebolt.

"Yes, but there's no time to explain at the moment," the Weasley patriarch explained. "We need to get moving before anything else happens."

Harry could see the logic in the action, but his temper was again boiling at how he was being cut out of the loop. He had been attacked by two Dementors and he was still wondering why it happened. He was also being investigated for using magic in a muggle neighbourhood, albeit unintentionally. Saber himself was something of a relief at the moment, but his talk about the Holy Grail War and the Grail itself was something that he really wanted to know about, but was wary about asking right out in the open.

Mr. Weasley cast a charm on Harry's trunk to make it hover off the floor before he picked it up as if it were a pillow. The other wizards and witches also formed a circle around Harry as they began to head for the door with The-Boy-Who-Lived in tow. Saber would not be pried from his Master though and stuck close to him, making the protective circle somewhat awkward, but still functional. Rather than feeling cramped about the knight's proximity though, Harry felt it a little reassuring. Perhaps it was the 'saving his life' thing, but seeing Saber take out the one thing that probably scared Harry more than even Voldemort made the teenage boy feel that much better in is presence despite his rather dark appearance.

The group squeezed out of the house one at a time, coming onto the front lawn. It was quite dark and none of the lights inside of the houses were on, indicating that all of the residents of Privet Drive were asleep for the time being. The only lights on were the street lights and the few decorative ones the neighbours had that were solar powered and would stay on all night if the day was sunny enough. Harry idly noticed that his uncle's car was missing, probably meaning that the Dursleys had gone to the hospital to fix Vernon's face after Saber had gotten through with him. At the end of the property…

"Bloody hell! Who's this then?"

At the end of the property were a group of four wizards and witches that for the most part Harry didn't know. The first was a woman in a deep brown or black dress that seemed a little frilly, but blended in well with the night. With her was a rather was a somewhat squat wizard dressed in a black and white striped coat with a pointed hat on his head. Next to both of them was an older gentleman who seemed to be wearing a slightly shabby casual suit with a strange purple top hat on his head. Lastly in the group was a man in a rather frumpled set of clothes and a tired look on his face. Harry immediately recognized him.

"Professor Lupin!" Harry called, catching the man's attention.

"Ah, Harry!" the werewolf called, his attention broken from Saber's armoured form. We quickly approached his best friend's son and kneeled down slightly to examine him. "I heard about the Dementors. Are you alright? Were you exposed for very long?"

"No, no, I'm fine," Harry reassured his friend and former teacher. "Saber took care of them."

"This fellow I take it?" asked Lupin, looking up at the armoured knight. Seeing Harry nodded, he stood up to properly address the knight. "I don't know who you are, but I have you to thank for saving Harry. I don't think I could express my gratitude for what you did."

"I did only what I was meant to do," Saber replied, but Harry was very sure he could hear a faint bit of pride in the knight's voice.

"Well, thank you all the same," Lupin nodded, apparently accepting the knight while the others he was with were gawking at him. "Now then, shall we get going?"

Harry looked at the other witches and wizards began producing brooms from pockets which looked way to small for them to fit in, but magic was funny that way. Brooms were passed out to Mr. Weasley and the others. Harry immediately guessed how they were going to travel, but it didn't tell him anything about where they were going other than it was probably going to be a fair distance away. Saber on the other hand, while standing tall, seemed to let his shoulders slump slightly as if something annoying had crossed his vision.

"Just how are we going to take this bloke with us?" asked Tonks, pointing at Saber.

"Let him walk," Moody shrugged. "It'll give us time to prepare for him."

"Moody…" Mr. Weasley sighed.

"If you would permit me Master," Saber spoke up, bringing everyone's attention to him. Harry looked up at his Servant. "If you give me your…broomstick, I will make it so we both may fly on it."

"You can?" Harry blinked. Not wanting to leave Saber behind, he immediately handed the Firebolt over to Saber. The black knight took the item into his hands and gripped it tight, making Harry fear that his Servant might splinter the wood he had been caring for since he had gotten it. Once in Saber's hands, the knight seemed to turn still for a moment before something began to happen. Right before everyone's eyes, purple veins spread all over the wood of the broom and even onto the twigs at the end. The entire object seemed to grow bigger and somewhat more menacing. Before Harry's eyes, it didn't look like his broom anymore but one that seemed like it belonged to Saber. It even seemed custom made for him.

"Bloody hell," Tonks gasped. "Just what did you do?"

"Mastered it," Saber replied bluntly. "Shall we be off?"

"R-right," Mr. Weasley nodded. "All right everyone. Mount up, and let's be off."

Everyone did just that, even Saber. While many would have thought that it would be amusing to see a black knight sitting on a flying broom, it was anything but. The broom itself looked like it came out of a dark realm thanks to its twisted shape and the purple veins running across its surface. Surprisingly, Saber was holding it like a professional and even had enough room for Harry to ride with him. Harry's image aside, Saber looked like something you'd see come out of a bad dream, or at least the medieval era where magic was more commonplace.

"Everyone ready then?" barked Moody. "Then let's go!"

All of the wizards and witches, (plus one knight) kicked off and flew into the night sky, heading off for a destination that only Harry and Saber didn't know.

* * *

><p><strong>Granger Residence—Hermione's Room<strong>

Hermione was sitting at her small desk and looking over her recent letter she had received from a Hogwarts owl a few days ago. It had been personally written by Professor Dumbledore, inviting her to a special meeting of a group he founded to combat Voldemort. He couldn't give her too many details since he was afraid that the letter might be traced by those who wished to stop them, but if she wished to get together with Harry and her friends then she merely had to write a reply and send it.

When she had gotten the letter, Hermione normally would have written back almost without delay. That was before she managed to summon Archer and get involved in the Holy Grail War though. Of course she wanted to see Harry again to see if he was okay after another summer with those beastly relatives of his. Still, she didn't want to expose Archer to anyone because she was afraid of the uproar he would create and if her teachers found out about him. If they found out about the Grail War, she didn't want to know what might happen. Likely Dumbledore might try to make her drop out, but Archer had already told her that as close as she could get to dropping out was by designating a representative Master and that would just make Archer's job harder. No, having anybody find out about Archer would just make everything more difficult.

To be honest, Hermione was beginning to think that it was a stroke of good fortune that she was involved in the Holy Grail War. A wish for anything she wanted would certainly help stop Voldemort once and for all before he could try to wage war again. She knew that with the Dark Lord back among the realm of the living, no one was going to be safe no matter how hard the Minister of Magic wished that the problem would prove to be a joke or would just go away. She also had a somewhat fearful notion that Voldemort would be gunning for Harry as one of his main targets. Not just because Harry, despite the Ministry's insistence otherwise, was a symbol of the Light being The-Boy-Who-Lived, but also because he had thwarted him several times in the past and lived to tell the tale. Voldemort struck her as the vindictive type, if his minions like the Malfoys were any indication.

"Something on your mind Master?" Archer's voice rang out. Hermione glanced up from her letter to spy her green-clad Servant lying on her bed. He was amusing himself with one of her books, her textbooks from her previous years at Hogwarts if she was correct.

"Just have a fair bit on my mind," Hermione admitted.

"Well, I could give an opinion if you'd like," Archer shrugged, turning a page.

"I suppose I could use your opinion since you're part of the problem," Hermione sighed. "No offense."

"None taken," Archer shrugged, setting the book aside. "Lay it on me."

"Fine," Hermione nodded, turning her chair to face her Servant. "Before I summoned you, I was invited by headmaster to get together with my friends inside a secure location which I assume is part of a group dedicated to bringing down the Dark Lord."

"That Voldemort guy you mentioned," Archer commented.

"Right," Hermione nodded. "My problem is that I don't want to expose you to everyone. On one hand my friends would likely try to get me to bow out of the Grail War or try to get involved in order to protect me. The adults would likely want me to give them the Command Spells so they can fight in the War instead. I'd rather do this myself and I don't want to get my friends involved if I can help it."

"Hmmm," Archer frowned, taking in Hermione's problem. "Well, you know you can keep me astralized so no one can see me, but you're concerned about what some of the experienced wizards you know might have in place which would be able to detect me."

"Right," Hermione nodded. She knew Dumbledore had numerous trinkets and such for detection in his office and no doubt had more in place wherever it was he wanted to bring Hermione to meet her friends. Not to mention there were probably others like Moody's false eye that seemed capable of seeing through just about anything. She really didn't know much about how Archer's astralization worked, so she wasn't sure if there was anything that could see him despite his assurances to the contrary.

"A valid concern I suppose," Archer shrugged, resting his hands behind his head. "Don't want too many people knowing about the War or else they'd start getting involved and messing things up. You're also concerned that your friends will get caught in the line of fire if you let them get involved too. That's a big worry too."

"So what's your solution to all this then?" asked Hermione.

"Simple. We experiment," Archer grinned. "You write up your friends and tell them you want to go. When they come here to get you, I'll stay astralized and see if they can't detect me. If they don't we're golden. If they do, you can just say you were experimenting with summoning like you told me you were doing. I doubt any of them will know about the Grail War anyway. They'll just assume I'm the product of a familiar summoning ritual or something and leave it at that. At worst they might try to get rid of me, but good luck overcoming the magic of the Grail."

"I suppose…" Hermione nodded. She really wasn't any great shakes at lying to anybody, but she was finding herself better at omitting the truth since all of her adventures at Hogwarts started up. She could honestly say that she had been experimenting with summoning and got Archer for her efforts. As long as no one asked about the Grail War then she really wouldn't have to lie about them. Of course, that was only if Archer was found out in the first place. If he could stay astralized and no one was the wiser than that was all that she needed to know.

"See? Simple and easy," Archer grinned. "So write up to your pal there and let's get moving. Besides, a secure place no one knows about would be a great idea if you're seriously going to take part in the Grail War."

"Right, right," Hermione nodded as she turned to write her reply. As she got her quill and parchment out, she decided to address a question she had been pondering about, "You know, I'm still wondering just who you were in your first life."

"Well keep on wondering Master," Archer retorted, reaching for his book again. "It's best that I not reveal it. You know that. We don't want the wrong person to overhear and figure out the best way to beat me. That would pretty much kill any hopes you have for winning the Grail."

Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes. Honestly, no one save for her parents even knew that she was taking part in the Grail War. How would anyone know that Archer had spoken his true name to her? Her natural curiosity was burning to know just who she had summoned as her Servant? Who was this hero she had called to her home to fight for her in a magical War which had stakes that anyone would go for? As much as the strategy of keeping the quiet sounded, she still wanted to know.

The question was, how to find out?

* * *

><p><strong>Malfoy Estate<strong>

Draco Malfoy sat enjoying his afternoon tea as he read through one of the Malfoy History books which were stocking into his home. He took pride in his great Pure-Blood heritage and he intended to keep that proud line going just as his father was doing. With the Dark Lord back to life, Draco was sure his time as the prince of Slytherin would be fast approaching. Times were due for change and it would be soon time for the mudbloods and muggleborns to know their place, at the feet and service of the Pure-Bloods like it should have been since the beginning.

However, thoughts of personal supremacy and such were far from his mind…

As much as Draco was trying to look at his book and enjoy his tea, his thoughts just weren't on it, nor were they on his excitement of seeing Pure-Blood society taking control like it should have a long time ago. Instead, he kept looking over the couch opposite of him. Lying across it like a panther enjoying the sun was a woman with pure black skin, some of the thinnest clothes Draco had ever seen in his life, and a white skull mask on her face. At first Draco had thought that she was one of the Death Eaters, but he had never seen a Death Eater dress like the woman in front of him. Another thing he noticed was that she seemed to absolutely loathe his father, mother, and just about all of the other Death Eaters in the house. He wasn't sure why she was getting away with such blatant disrespect though. Anyone else who looked at a Death Eater like that surely would have gotten a Crucio in a heartbeat.

If anything though, it seemed that the Death Eaters were almost afraid of her. She didn't seem like any witch he had ever seen before. She didn't look all that powerful either. It really made the Hogwarts student wonder just what was it about her that seemed to put the others on edge.

Despite the prestige and respect that should have been shown by everyone who entered Malfoy Manor, this woman seemed to care for none of it. The way she draped herself across the couch with a book about the modern history of the wizarding world just spoke volumes about his rude conduct.

"Who do you think you are?" Draco finally spoke, emulating his father perfectly. "You are a guest in the Malfoy house, show some respect."

"I show no respect for thieves," her masked face glanced over at the Malfoy heir. "Or the sons of thieves."

"You dare-!" Draco growled, rising from his seat and reaching for his wand. Before he could even bring it out into the light though, he felt something graze his cheek and make a loud 'thud' noise behind him. Draco turned to see what had almost hit him and paled when a dagger could be seen sticking out of one of the portraits, the subject of that picture cowering away from where the dagger had dug into the canvas. Draco blinked before he felt something running down his cheek. Touching it, he began to feel dawning horror as he spotted blood on his fingertips.

"Watch your tongue, son of a thief or I shall cut it out," the woman spoke in a most ominous tone. "You are the son of my Master, but that protection will not keep you safe from me if you continue to run your mouth."

Draco suddenly found it very difficult to swallow. His whole body began to tremble and he was suddenly filled with the overwhelming urge to get away from this strange woman lest she do something worse that just nick him with a knife. His body seemed to lock in on itself and become barely able to function. Were Draco trained in any form of medicine be it mundane or magical he would know that he was beginning to enter a state of shock. Having been raised somewhat secluded from the world because of his status and the Malfoy belief that most were unworthy of dealing with them, Draco hadn't been put at risk for anything. His quite sudden brush with death was shorting out his brain and shattering his belief in that superiority.

Gasping, confused, and mentally collapsing, Draco dashed from the room with his vision tunnelling. He didn't stop for anything, brushing past artworks, enraging portraits, and practically breaking his bedroom door down before he leaped onto his bed and wrapped his blankets around himself. His trembling became even fiercer and a whimper escaped his throat as his mind continued to be shut down save for his normally dormant survival instinct.

Back in the sitting room, Assassin retrieved her dagger and took her seat at the couch again so she could learn of the modern magical world. She would have to learn what she could since her Master considered herself too important to inform her Servant of the situation.

"_I would have removed the boy's head for such disrespect._"

Assassin looked up from her book to see Rider enter the room with the silence of a ghost. The other portraits in the room suddenly ran from their frames so they could visit their friends or move to other copies of their pictures. The hooded Servant took the boy's chair as swept his cloak to the side so to take the seat. His dropped book and tea went ignored as some thin creature with a big nose and droopy ears went about cleaning up the mess. However, it whimpered in Rider and Assassin's presence, working hurriedly and silently so not to disturb them.

"It would be difficult for me if I were to kill the thief's spawn," Assassin spoke.

"_Then shall I do so and save you the trouble?_" asked Rider, caressing the pommel of his sword.

It was by no means a friendly offer. Assassin and Rider both knew that they were going to do battle with each other eventually if one of the other Servants didn't kill them first so any appearance of being comrades or friendship was an illusion. Assassin was using the conversation as a means to see what kind of possible weaknesses she could exploit in Rider. The hooded man on the other hand was just hoping for an opportunity to satisfy his quite obvious bloodlust by killing the spoiled brat at the earliest opportunity. Rider was eager for a target and didn't care where it came from so long as he got to kill something.

"That would just make problems for the both of us," Assassin replied.

"_I detest serving cowards,_" Rider snarled, gripping his blade. "_A war such as this was meant to be fought with blood and pain. My Master does not seem to understand this._"

"Mine seems bound to serve the Master of Berserker," Assassin commented. "No doubt once Saber, Caster, and Archer are dealt with they will sacrifice us to the madman so to curry favour with him."

"_No doubt,_" Rider agreed, standing up. "_I however, have no intention of laying back and dying like a dog. Should my Master attempt to sacrifice me, I will feed him to my blade._"

Agitated, Rider left. He was likely going to search for something to kill, likely one of the creatures which served as the butlers and maids of the household. Assassin calmly went back to her reading. It was no business of herself if Rider tried to kill something, lest it be her.

* * *

><p><strong>English Airspace<strong>

The night was absolutely frigid as the group of witches and wizards flew through the night sky. Tonks was leading the pack with Lupin remaining lower than the others. Everyone else was in a circle formation with Saber and Harry being in the very centre of it all. They had been flying non-stop since leaving Little Whinging and thanks to the darkness, Harry could only see the lights of the homes below so he had no idea where they were and still no idea where they were going. The flight might not have taken nearly as long though if Moody hadn't kept barking suggestions of ways to avoid detection or being followed. It didn't help that he kept having everyone make veering turns or sudden turns which tested the reflexes. The only person who seemed willing to argue with him about that fact was Tonks. The two had been practically barking at one another non-stop.

"We should double back for a while," Moody suggested, yet again. "Just in case we're being followed!"

"ARE YOU MAD, MAD-EYE ?-!" Tonks screeched. "We're all nearly frozen to our brooms! If we keep going off course we won't get there until next week!"

As another row between the two started up, Harry glanced at Saber. The black knight was riding the broom like he had been doing it all his life, which was somewhat surprising. Harry just assumed that it had something to do with what he did to the Firebolt. The temperature didn't seem to be bothering Saber all that much, or at least he wasn't complaining about it. He didn't seem fazed by needing to fly on brooms or by how much Tonks and Moody were arguing either. If anything, Harry might have guessed that the black knight was annoyed about something. As someone who had to hide his emotions numerous times lest he receive punishment for 'acting out' he was capable of recognizing when someone else was doing it, even when they were hiding their faces. Harry could tell because of how Saber was breathing, taking deeper breaths than was normal.

"Saber," Harry whispered. "Is…is something wrong?"

"I am…agitated, Master," Saber admitted. "I find this flying on…brooms, to be foolish and childish. It reminds me of someone I knew that would do such on a constant basis just to stir up chaos and see how many people he could make faint. Restoring order was not easy and usually fell to me."

Harry blinked at the confession to be a little surprising. However, he did know that lots of wizards liked to bait muggles by charming things to cause them no end of trouble. Wherever Saber had come from, it seemed that magic-users did the same thing there sometimes as well.

"Oh forget it!" Tonks' voice cried out. "We're already here!"

Harry peeked around Saber's side and saw that he and the rest of the escort were dipping down towards what Harry thought to be a part of London. There were no cars or other people around so the group was able to land easily. They all landed softly and dismounted, leaving them in the middle of the street with a respectable park on one side of the street and several townhouses on the opposite side. As Saber and Harry dismounted the broom, the Servant returned the flying too to Harry. The teenager took the broom and felt the rough surface of the modified wood, making the item feel like it could have started moving on its own. While Harry was examining it though, the purple veins began to recede and the broom shrank as whatever magic Saber had pushed into it seemed to burn itself out. After a moment, the broom had returned to its regular form, as if Saber hadn't done anything to it.

"Wicked," Tonks grinned, eyeing the transformation.

"Let's go!" Moody barked. "No dawdling!"

The group quickly began approaching the townhouses, with only the sound of Saber's metal boots against the street announcing their presence. As they got closer to the houses, Harry noticed that they weren't going for any of the houses they could see. Instead, they seemed more focused on the non-existent space which existed between the houses marked #11 and #13. When the group reached the sidewalk, they came to a sudden halt. Harry was confused, while the others seemed to be waiting for something. Sbaer though, seemed to be analyzing his surroundings.

"Why are-?" Harry began.

"There is a house hidden here," Saber spoke up, causing all of the guard to flinch and/or gape at him. "An impressive amount of magic used to make such a place be impossible to perceive. One does not see spellcrafting like this too often."

"How the bloody hell are you able to see the place?" demanded Moody, his false eye going crazy as it seemed to examine Saber head to toe.

"Magic has little effect on me," Saber replied, staring down Moody glare for glare. "That is all you need to know."

"Alastor," Mr. Weasly warned, seeing the retired auror's face turning an odd shade of red. "Alastor let's just show Harry how to get inside and we can figure out more about this fellow later. Dumbledore will probably know what to do if all else fails."

Moody made grumbling noises which Harry would have sworn sounded just like what his uncle would sound like when he was in a bad mood. Reaching into his pocket, he produced a slip of parchment when he handed over to Harry. Taking the parchment, Harry examined it to find writing in a familiar loopy style.

"_The Order of the Pheonix' headquarters can be found at #12 Grimmauld Place._'

Harry blinked at the odd message recognizing it as having come from Dumbledore. He still couldn't quite figure out why he had to read the parchment though. Looking up, he was about to ask why he was given it when he noticed activity between houses 11 and 13. Before Harry's eyes, a new house seemed to 'emerge' from between 11 and 13 almost as if it had been pressed paper thin and crammed between the two and was now unfolding. The process completed quickly and Harry found himself looking at a house marked #12.

"Well the, everyone's expecting us," Mr. Weaslet grinned, gesturing for the house.

The group travelled to the house and promptly opened the door. Marching inside, Harry looked past his escort and found a rather dreary entry hall. It was somewhat narrow, but it would have been cozy save for the dark atmosphere. A single chandelier hung from above, serving as the only illumination. The place looked a little ratty with the wallpaper peeling and what carpets existed aside from the tiled floor looked threadbare and half-chewed. A portrait of a woman was hanging on the wall, but the subject looked like she was sleeping. All in all, it didn't look like a pleasant place to be in any stretch of the mind.

"WAGH!"

CRASH!

All eyes turned to where Tonks had been. Apparently she had been trying to scoot around the group for some breathing space and tripped on what looked like an umbrella stand made from a troll's foot. The pink-haired witch was now sprawled on the ground, shaking her head with a few canes and umbrellas sprawled around her. However, her accident seemed to have caused enough of a rukus to awaken the lady in the large portrait. She took one look at the group below her and instantly went into a frenzy of rage as she screamed at the top of her lungs.

"FILTH! BLOOD TRAITORS! YOU DON'T BELONG HERE! LEAVE MY HOUSE AT ONCE!" she screamed before erupting into further prejudicial slurs which Harry recalled his more purist enemies in Hogwarts using when the teachers weren't around.

"OH SHUT UP YOU OLD HAG!" a male voice bellowed back at the portrait. Rather than getting her to quiet down, the portrait just seemed to take it as an opportunity to yell at something else.

"FILTH! DIRTY BLOODED TRAITOR! I SHOULD HAVE NEVER GIVEN BIRTH TO YOU! YOUR EXISTENCE SHAMES ME! RAAAAAAGH!"

Harry looked up to a nearby set of stairs he hadn't quite noticed before and found another familiar face descending them. He was an older-looking gentleman with more than a few lines in his face. He had black hair which looked a little stringy and a black beard to accent his features. He was better dressed than the last time Harry had seen him, which made the young man feel marginally better. He wasn't as thin or scraggly as before and instead just looked like a man who had spent too much time indoors. This man was not only the best friend of Harry's father, but also Harry's godfather Sirius Black.

"Well Harry," Sirius sighed as he reached the bottom of the stairs and noticed his godson. "I see you've met my mother."

"Y-your mother?" Harry blinked, rather shocked by the violent portrait. Up until that point, Harry had only met the kind and docile portraits of Hogwarts. He didn't think any of them could be as outspoken as the one screaming at them from above.

"Yes," Sirius winced after a particularly high screech. "Let's take this to the living room. Hopefully the old bint will fall asleep and we can move freely again."

Sirius brought Harry along to the living room with Lupin while the other adults (and a sufficiently embarrassed Tonks) headed off deeper into the house for reasons unbeknownst to the boy. Saber of course stuck to Harry like glue and followed his Master into the main living room where several rather dusty pieces of furniture were standing (although much cleaner than the walls or the carpet) and a roaring fire was warming everything up. The furniture wasn't idle either as it was being used by a group of rather familiar redheads; Twin boys, a girl, and a redhead boy that was Harry's age. The sounds of people entering their room quickly brought their attention to Harry in the case of the girl and single boy.

"Harry!"

…and Sabre for the twins.

"Woah! Check out that bloke Gred!"

"Totally wicked Forge!"

Harry smiled as he saw his friends Ron, Ginny, Fred, and George Weasley all converging on him in their usual warm greetings. Of course, Fred and George seemed more interested in Saber's imposing appearance rather than simply greeting Harry like their little brother and sister were doing.

"Who's your new friend Harry?" asked Fred (or was it George?).

"And where can we get a wicked suit like that?" added George (or was it Fred?).

"Well…" Harry began.

"I was wondering that myself Harry," Sirius commented, looking less cheerful than before. His eyes kept darting between Saber and Harry, apparently examining the black knight to try and discern what his intentions towards the scarred boy were. "Arabella mentioned somebody named Saber who rescued you from the Dementors. Said he dressed in a black suit of armour. I assume that this is him."

"I am," Saber nodded, surprising everyone but Harry since Saber had been stoically quiet since entering the room (or since Little Whinging in Lupin's case). "Master summoned me and thus I am bound to serve and protect him. Dispatching those creatures was part of that duty."

"Summoned?" blinked Fred. "So you used _accio _or something and he just appeared?"

"No," Harry denied, glancing at his knight. "It was something else. I don't' know how it happened, but one moment a Dementor is coming at me inside of a house me and Dudley were hiding in and the next, there's this pillar of light and Saber was rising out of the floor. The Dementor's didn't seem to affect him and he managed to beat down one before killing the other."

"You _killed_ a Dementor?-!" Lupin gasped, staring up at Saber. He was something of an expert with Dementors and hadn't yet heard of a way to permanently deal with one. The _Patronus_ charm was a sure-fire way to drive them away since they hated it so much, but to actually kill one…no such method had been discovered yet. Hearing that Saber had done just that was shocking to say the least.

"It was a threat to my Master," Saber replied. "I would have dispatched the second one, but it seemed to have some sense and fled before I could take care of it."

"Wicked…" the four redheads gasped out in awe.

Further conversation and questioning from the Weasleys were cut off when several adults, many of them from the escort Harry had, came back in with their wands at their sides with Moody in the lead. With them was a middle-aged redheaded woman whom Harry happily recognized as Molly Weasly, wife of Arthur and mother of his four friends. Unfortunately, with them was a black-robed, greasy-haired and hook-nosed potions professor whom Harry and a good part of his school loathed entirely, Severus Snape.

"Potter, you and your friends step away from him," Snape ordered sternly, not taking his eyes off Saber's helmet as the knight turned to face them. Out of all of the adults, he was the only one with a raised wand.

"Professor," Harry frowned. Sirius seemed to be copying Harry's mood emphatically as a deep frown marred his features just by looking at his long-time enemy. It was a heated antagonism that lasted long past their school days and into the present.

"Severus, there's hardly a need to be pointing wands-" Lupin tried to argue.

"This man is violent, dangerous, and possibly a leak," Snape snapped back. "It was stupid of you all to bring him here. Now, we'll have to deal with this now." His attention returned to Saber, who still hadn't moved. "Now, you will come with us and answer some questions. Otherwise we will be forced to use…less than peaceful methods."

"By all means tests us," Moody frowned, apparently in agreement with Snape over something for a change.

"He saved my life! You can't treat him this way!" Harry shouted, standing in front of Saber.

"We can and we will Potter. No get back before I hex you too!" Snape barked loudly.

Those words alone caused the small group to frown at Snape, many silently begging for the chance to curse him, age restriction be damned. Lupin and Sirius both started to look like they could break out in dog-like growls at any moment. Many of the other adults likewise sent Snape dirty looks of their own, Tonks actually sticking her tongue out at him, somehow making it flap up and down like in a cartoon as well. For Saber though, the reaction was much more extreme. Clenching his fists so tightly the leather material could be heard squeezing, the black knight suddenly broke out into a dead run at the group. Moody, Tonks, and Indian man all broke formation to get out of the way, remembering how ineffective their spells were on Saber before. Arthur likewise got his wife out of the way. The others immediately started shooting stunners, jinxes, hexes, and a few curses at the charging knight. It was to no avail as the spells struck the black steel of Saber's armour and just seemed to fizzle out on contact, showing absolutely no effect. Reaching the group, Saber grabbed snape by the shirt and kept running. The other wizards and witches were knocked aside until Saber slammed Snape against a wall with enough force to shake the hanging lights and make dust fall as if it were snow. The potions master grunted as pain blossomed in his back and he was pretty sure the blow had caved in the section of wall he struck.

"Nobody threatens my Master," Saber growled in cold fury as he cocked back his armoured fist, aiming to plant it in Snape's face.

"No!" Harry cried, running to catch his Servant. Reaching the knight, Harry wrapped his arms around his free arm, "Saber, stop!"

Saber paused and glanced back at Harry, ignoring how Snape seemed to be having trouble breathing, "He threatened you Master. I cannot allow that."

"He's not allowed to hurt me! Threats are all he can do!" Harry argued back. "Now please, let him go."

The other wizards watched as Saber seemed to consider it, looking back at Snape and then at Harry. Normally they might have tried to hex the knight, but they had already discovered that their spells were of no use against him. Te teenagers in the room could feel the tension in the air as they waited to see what Saber would, parts of them fearing he might hurt Harry in attempts to make him let go but other parts were just begging for Saber to be set free and punch Snape's lights out, fulfilling the fantasies of many Hogwarts students. Sirius and Lupin (not that the werewolf would admit it) were leaning towards the latter emotional sides their young friends were conflicting with.

The tension lasted for only a moment, but felt like an eternity. Finally, Saber relaxed and relaxed his arm, prompting Harry to let go, "As you wish Master."

The black knight gave one last glare before he dropped the potions master, the man dropping to his knees as he coughed and hacked in attempts of getting his breath back. His death glares at the knight were quite clear, but he had enough sense to know that he couldn't do anything about it. Not after the brief demonstration of some of his abilities. Everyone else were simply stunned to watch the dynamics of what was going on.

"Wicked," Tonks gasped slightly, her own school days fantasy coming true in its own unique way.

Her whisper seemed to snap Mr. Weasley out of his shock. While generally not appearing to be the most outstanding of people, he could stand his ground when it counted and right now it would definitely count. Steeling himself, he untangled himself from his wife and began to approach the young man and his knight. "Saber," he spoke, catching the knight's attention. "Forgive me, but…we really have to ensure where your loyalties lie. We're a group dedicated to fighting a very powerful dark lord and we…we can't tolerate any kind of information leak." Arthur watched as Saber seemed to stare at him, but didn't attack. "Harry trusts you, and that counts for a lot. But, we just have to make sure that we can come to trust you."

Saber was very silent, still staring at Arthur, who gulped nervously. When it seemed the knight was just going to keep staring, he spoke, "Your version of diplomacy serves you better than this mongrel." He uttered, gesturing at Snape. "Very well. Ask your questions."

"Ah. Good," Arthur sighed in relief. "If you would follow me?"

Saber glanced at Harry, who nodded to his knight. With his Master's permission, Saber followed Arthur out of the room with the other wizards and witches following. That left Sirius, Lupin, the Weasley children, and Harry to their own devices.

"Bloody hell," Ron gaped, eyeing the damage Saber had done to the wall with Snape's body. "Remind me never to get that guy angry."

"Deal," Ginny nodded.

"Totally…" Fred grinned.

"Wicked." George finished. "Wait till Bill and Charlie hear about this!"

Harry was just feeling a small sense of loss as Saber left his sight.

* * *

><p>Saber was led to a downstairs kitchen area where Molly was in the process of making dinner, several pots cooking a various number of items. Obviously, she was aiming to feed a number of people rather than just her family. The room itself was long with stoves, selves, and counters to the side with a kitchen island in the middle of the room where people could eat. Saber also had to note that it was likely to be the cleanest room in the house this far that he had seen.<p>

"If you would take a seat then…um, Saber," Arthur gestured towards one of the stools.

Saber, for the sake of politeness and the fact that his Master trusted the redhead, took a seat on the stool. However, it creaked slightly under his weight combined with the weight of his armour and thus he was forced to flood his prana into it, creating more purple veins which made the stool grow slightly and become much stronger in the process. The magi who hadn't seen him do such an act before watched with widened eyes, but the others ignored it in favour of looking at the knight whom had entered their headquarters.

"Now then," Arthur nodded, pulling up his own seat. "Saber, we're all a little bit concerned about how you just popped up when Harry was being attacked by Dementors. Some of our more…suspicious, members," he made a subtle glance at Moody. "Believe the attack may have been staged so that you could look like a hero to Harry and gain his trust."

"I have no such plan," Saber immediately denied. "My Master activated a summoning array and called me to his side. Even if I wanted to, I cannot betray him. Not while he bears the Command Seals on his hand. They are the proof that he is my Master."

"Wait, wait, wait," Tonks spoke up. "So, Harry actually used magic to call you to him then? I mean, he mentioned something like that at his relative's house but he didn't go into details. He just said you popped up when he was in danger. If he was too busy trying to save his skin, how'd he call you?"

"I am no expert on summoning. I only know he was the one who called me," Saber answered.

"If you expect us to trust anything you say, a good step would be to remove that blasted helmet of yours," Moody barked from his own standing position.

"I cannot do that," Saber replied. "My identity is to be held in the strictest of confidence. For simplicity, please continue to refer to me as Saber. It is a fitting name because I am the sword of my Master."

"So you hide behind your protective armour then," Snape muttered under his breath.

"The armour helps protect me from physical attacks," Saber growled, apparently proving his hearing was acute. Throwing a hidden glare at Snape, he continued. "My entire body is resistant to magic. No modern spell is capable of affecting me. That is why your casting failed when you attempted to subdue me."

"Immune to magic?" Molly blinked. "Preposterous. Nothing is immune to magic-"

"Molly," Arthur stopped his wife before she could go onto one of her rants. She had been worried about Harry all summer. She knew what Harry's relatives were like and despite Dumbledore's assurances, none of the Weasleys even bothered pretending to believe that Harry was happy where here was. It was one of the reasons that he and Molly tried to get Harry to visit their house or at least get him away from his relatives every summer. After everything he had been through, he deserved to have some happy summer memories. Getting back to business, Arthur stared down Saber once again, "So as long as Harry has these supposed Command Spells on his hand, you can't betray us?"

"They symbolize absolute orders which I cannot refuse," Saber replied. However, he neglected to mention that only three such orders existed and once they were used up, that was it. Still, Saber wasn't the type to attack someone unless they deserved it and his current Master so far seemed worthy of his loyalty.

"So as long as it is Harry that asks you to do something, you have to obey?" asked Tonks, wanting clarification.

"Yes," Saber nodded. Again, his answer was not the entire truth. Saber was allowed to interpret orders however he wished. He could deny certain orders if they were unreasonable to him or interpret them in different ways so to avoid doing something he didn't want to do. However, the answer was good enough for the magi who sought to interrogate him on their intentions and if it brought the questioning to a close then so be it. Saber's Master would be the only one who knew the truth.

"Well then, we can just get Potter to address the problem," Moody nodded. "Good. Let's get the boy down here and make him order this bloke to secrecy and be done with it."

"I'll go get them," Molly announced as she checked her cooking over once again. "It's almost time for supper anyway. Hopefully with a good meal that boy might finally start filling out." Continuing muttering about Harry being 'so thin' and apparently 'starving' she left the room so to retrieve the teenagers and the two men left in the house.

* * *

><p><strong>Living Room<strong>

"So all this is your Sirius?" asked Harry.

"Yep. Good old #12 Grimmauld Place," Sirius nodded, but there was no fond recollection in his eyes for his childhood home. "I hoped to God I wouldn't end up back here, but it seems that wasn't coming true. It's secure though, which is good. Dumbledore needed a safe place for the Order to meet and this fit the bill. My Father put every sort of security and muggle-repelling charm he could think of on this place. Add in what Dumbledore cast and there isn't a safer place you can be."

"Order?" asked Harry.

"The Order of the Pheonix," Ron grinned. "It's a group Dumbledore started up to fight You-Know-Who during the last war. Almost everyone who comes through here is a member, even Snape believe it or not. We've been trying to figure out what they've been talking about, but so far we haven't gotten much of anything."

"Not for lack of trying either," Ginny sighed. "Even the adults don't have too much to say about what's going on. So far You-Know-Who has been underground if you can believe it."

"I keep telling you kids that you don't have any business in those meetings," Lupin frowned. His past days as a Marauder helped him deduce that the twins had set up something that had helped them listen into meetings. So far it didn't seem to do them any harm despite worries that they would do something rash. So instead of reporting them, he merely tried taking the authority role to convince them to not do anything. Of course, he was curious as to how they were doing it as well which went towards his decision to not tell. "You're going to get yourself in trouble one of these days."

"But that day is not today!" George grinned.

"You know, if you give us some of the juicier tidbits you lot talk about we might just back off," Fred offered.

"Or it will make you try that much harder to hear more," Lupin frowned. "What I'm more concerned about is that Harry is going to be investigated by the Ministry for using magic inside a muggle neighbourhood."

"What?-!" Ron cried. "Bloody hell! I thought Dad said that it was just a possibility or something! That there was no real evidence!"

"Eh, you know how the Ministry is," Sirius muttered bitterly. "Blame the most obvious suspect no matter how much evidence says otherwise. Fudge has been gunning for Harry since he revealed that You-Know-Who has come back."

"He has, has he?" Harry frowned. He had been expecting that much since the end of the previous school year. The man seemed flummoxed that Voldemort had returned and was muttering to himself that it couldn't possibly be true. Of course, he took that hack Rita Skeeter's slander like it was gospel and wrote believed every untrue word she had ever written about him. Just like a huge number of people in the magical world too.

"Yeah," Ron sighed. "He's had the Prophet writing up all sorts of rubbish about you. They've been saying that you're some sort of unstable lunatic or an attention seeking brat who's trying to cause a panic just for the sake of your own ego."

"I thought so," Harry muttered with a deep sigh. "This investigation probably is going to be used by Fudge to make me look even worse."

"Only if they can convict you for it," Lupin commented. "But you can be sure that if any of Fudge's men are in on it, they'll be trying their best to make it look like you did it on purpose."

"I sort of did do it in a way though," Harry sighed. "Saber's proof of that."

"Speaking of him," Ginny frowned. "Just what did happen out there anyway Harry? I mean, Dad mentioned Dementors and then we see Saber and now he claims that he even killed one. You've got to tell us at least that much."

"Too right!" Fred nodded.

"Inquiring minds want to know!" George agreed.

"Well…" Harry began, feeling a little self-conscious.

"Everyone!" Molly Weasley's voice called out from the passage to the kitchen. Her voice was being magically amplified so that her voice echoed through the house. Of course, it had the unfortunate side effect of waking up Mrs. Black who began to screech and holler even though there was no one there to listen to her. Despite Mrs. Black's shouting, Molly's voice as able to overcome even the crone's voice and get her message across. "Dinner!"

"God I wish that crone would just shut up," Sirius growled, wincing at the voice of his mother once again. "This isn't the bloody Burrow. Molly just can't shout like she wants here."

"In a house like ours, how else is she supposed to get our attention?" asked George with a grin.

"She had to get over the explosions we made in our room somehow," Fred nodded.

A soft chuckle echoed from the group, all of them knowing that Molly had a habit of being loud thanks to how chaotic her home The Burrow could be chaotic at times. Between the twins and their experiments, the ghoul in the attic, Arthur tinkering in his shed, the gnomes needing to be removed, and whatever chaos went around at the time the Weasley matriarch needed to be loud in order to alert her family to anything. Still, they also knew that making her wait for anything was a bad idea in general so they made tracks for the kitchen before she decided to call again and set of Mrs. Black a third time that night.

* * *

><p><strong>Lovegood Residence<strong>

Caster sat on the roof of the Lovegood Residence, having used his astralization to pass through the walls until he reached his position. He was sitting at the highest curve in the roof with his hands resting on his axe like a cane. His visor gaze wasn't trained on the other buildings in the scenery, but on the forests which were in the distance. He had been there for over an hour already, just sitting and observing the forests.

"Are you up here Caster?"

The green knight's concentration was broken before he turned to see his young Master climbing onto the roof with the assistance of a ladder. Caster was on his feet in an instant before he approached her and gently took her hand before helping her onto the roof.

"Right here my lady," Caster replied.

"Thank you," Luna smiled as she got her footing. "Do you like high places too? I like to come up here sometimes. Wrackspurts tend to have a harder time finding hosts when they are high up. They don't like the cooler air."

"I was merely observing the forests," Caster replied, heading back to his perch with his Master in tow. "I would do it often with my wife. Forests surrounded our home on all sides and were ripe with life and game. We never had to store food since there was always something to eat even in the dead of winter. It was a magical place and I miss it dearly, just as I miss my dear wife."

"Hmm," Luna pondered. "Daddy says Mummy liked to sit up here on clear nights. She loved to gaze at the moon when she could. It gave her inspiration sometimes. It's why she named me Luna."

"It seems we're both missing someone precious to us," Caster commented, his gaze returning to the forest scenery.

"Yes," Luna nodded. "It's always nice to know that somebody understands."

"Aye," Caster agreed. "Would you like to talk about her?"

"Only if you talk about your wife," Luna smiled. "It's only fair we both talk about one of our favourite people."

"True, true," Caster chuckled deeply. He found that his Master's rather unique view of the world made for easy and friendly conversation. "I suppose I could go first. My wife was an absolutely beautiful woman. Why she settled for a brute like me I still cannot figure out. She had a strange sense of loyalty though, using her beauty to see which men I would befriend were truly trustworthy or not. She wouldn't let them get too far, but far enough to condemn themselves when she came to confess to me. Everything she gained from them, she would give back to me…"

Luna smiled as she leaned against Caster's warm armour in the slightly cool night. It truly felt wonderful to have a friend who understood.

* * *

><p><strong>To Be Continued...<strong>

A/N: Well, here it is. Fate/Ingens Cor has become an official story. You guys in the idea farm who reviewed this story asked for it and thus I shall make it so. Hope you guys enjoy this chapter. It doesn't quite feel as if its as long as the others, but maybe that's just me.

For anyone who's interested, I have Deviantart pictures of Harry and Hermione with their Servants. Links to my Deviantart page can be found on my profile.

For all of the anti-Snape and Draco people out there, I hope you enjoyed some of the humbling they got from Assassin and Saber respectively. Anyway, more action to come and maybe even a battle or two. Keep your eyes peeled.


	4. Saber Vs Archer

I do not own Harry Potter or Fate/Stay Night. They belong to their respective creators J.K. Rowling and Type Moon. I do not own anything. I am only writing this for fun and not profit. Oh what a wonderful job that would be to write Fanfiction for a living….

Fate/Ingens Cor

By Ten-Faced Paladin

Chapter 4: Saber Vs. Archer

Life in Grimmauld Place was…unique, to say the least for Harry. While it was absolutely filthy compared to the Dursely house of #4 Privet Drive, it was a fair bit friendlier. Harry was bunked up with Ron on the second floor and despite Molly's hospitality; Saber would bunk with them under the claim that he required no sleep or food. The only sustenance that he truly required was magical energy which Harry was supplying to him since they had met. That made Mrs. Weasley a little indignant because she had been hoping to trick Saber into revealing his face by having him eat something. Saber didn't need a bed either, but instead would just take a chair in the room and sit as silently as a decorative suit of armour while his Master and Ron slept.

It wasn't all fun and games either as he learned the next day. The portrait of Sirius' mother would scream and yell insults at everybody at every opportunity based on their blood status. The members of the Order had tried to take her down but a Permanent Sticking Charm had been put on her frame and made it nigh impossible to do that. So everyone had to tiptoe around her while she was sleeping or just move by quickly before you could get hit with the worst of her vitriol. Unfortunately, the pink-haired witch Tonks proved to be a rather clumsy person as she kept tripping and falling on something, stepping on someone's foot, or just plain forgetting that the portrait was nearby and wake her up.

Other areas of Grimmauld Place weren't exactly safe either. The house had been abandoned for many years and as such, all sorts of pests magical or otherwise had moved in. Doxies were in the upper drawing room while gnomes had flooded the basement en masse and boggarts filling up the spaces between. There were also numerous dark artefacts that the Blacks had collected over the years and had to be disposed with care lest someone lose a finger or worse. True to their name, the Blacks were supporters of the Dark Arts for some time with Sirius being the proverbial 'black sheep' of the family.

Harry also had been forewarned about the resident house elf Kreacher. He was an aged, hook-nosed, and squinty eyed elf who absolutely despised Sirius and the Order, calling them all mudbloods and blood traitors under his breath when he thought no one could hear him, and also when he was sure they could. He was the Black Family Elf and had served the raving mad portrait of Sirius' mother for years before people returned to Grimmauld Place, making many believe that the elf had gone mad or close enough to it. He was often found trying to hide things that belonged to the Black Family that he didn't want Sirius or the others to find. It was also a well-known fact that he dreamed of having his head mounted on the wall like his ancestors before him, a grisly line of trophies which Harry discovered on his way to bed the previous night. Saber had given the gruesome memorials a particularly dark stare as they had traveled past them.

At the moment, Harry was enjoying breakfast with Ron as the redhead got his best friend caught up on everything that was happening. Saber was still following him like a shadow, but it was one that he and Ron had gotten used to quickly. The Order was also giving the knight some space again since Harry asked the knight to remain quiet about the Order, which Saber readily agreed. So for the moment, things were peaceful.

"Mum's been having us run all over the place," Ron continued, his mouth half full of eggs from Molly's usual gut-busting breakfast. "She's been having us clean up room after room. We're going to be tackling the drawing room last since that's where a lot of the dark stuff is, along with the doxies. 'Course, we haven't made too much progress since Mum's been after Fred and George since they keep sneaking some of the dark artefacts out."

"What?" Harry blinked.

"Not the dangerous ones," Ron quickly amended. "Just the ones that annoy people instead of hurt them. Ginny said she's saw them pinching some of the doxies we've sprayed, but they've been quiet about that too. It's like almost everyone here's keeping secrets."

"Right," Harry agreed. "Have you heard from Hermione?"

"Dad said she got a letter inviting her here," was Ron's answer. "As far as I know she hasn't written back yet. Kind of odd for her if you ask me. She's usually so quick about it."

"Maybe she's just busy with homework or something," Harry shrugged. "Isn't this the year we take our O.W.L. exams?"

"Don't remind me," Ron groaned. "That's all I've been hearing from Mum this summer. No doubt Hermione's going to be all over us with the same."

Harry managed a weak grin as he imagined Hermione constantly pestering them about studying and doing their assignments properly. Their fourth year laid in on thick how important O.W.L.s were to their magical education and Hermione just kept reminding them. Harry wasn't sure if he would be able to survive her in the coming year.

* * *

><p><strong>Granger Residence<strong>

Hermione was now ready to meet the others at wherever this supposed 'safe location' Dumbledore had picked out was supposed to be. Since Archer would remain astralized until needed, there may not be a panic when the others saw her with the much older redhead. It still annoyed Hermione that she had yet to uncover Archer's identity but it was a challenge and a challenge she would defeat no matter what. The man didn't leave many clues, except for his archery skills which he was sure to show off when asked. He was an expert marksman and when he made a demonstration, he had shot several apples clean through and right out of a nearby apple tree. Of course Archer had told her that if he had invoked something he called a Noble Phantasm, the arrow would've been a destructive force instead of just a simple arrow.

Indeed, this was magic of a different class entirely. To summon a corporeal spirit and bind it as a Servant was something she had never heard of before..

"_So when are these people supposed to get here?_" asked Archer, walking about in his astralized form. It reminded Hermione of the ghosts at Hogwarts, although Archer was definitely not as pale as they were in any sense of the word. At the moment, the Servant was amusing himself by sticking his limbs through the living room table while Hermione read a book. Both her parents were at their dentistry practice and were unable to say goodbye to her, but they wished her the best before they left.

"Soon, if the letter was any indication," the young woman replied.

"_Kind of impolite to keep us waiting if you want my opinion,_" Archer muttered.

"Just be patient," Hermione replied. Another aspect of Archer she found perplexing was how he could be so mature and charming at one moment, then almost like a teenager the next. Perhaps he was still young and could afford to be immature now and then. Either way, it was a little annoying despite it being a bit of the charm Hermione would reluctantly admit she found to be attractive.

As she was trying to read further into her Magus Association books for further details about Servants, there was a loud knocking at the door. Marking her place, Hermione walked to the front door of her house with Archer following close behind her just in case. Unlatching her door, Hermione opened it to reveal a pair of familiar faces.

"Professor Moody? Professor Lupin?" she blinked.

"Granger," the retired auror nodded.

"Hermione," the werewolf nodded.

"_Wooooooooo! Woooooooooo!_" Archer began imitating ghost like sounds and something just told Hermione that he was likely waving his arms and doing just about anything to make himself noticeable short of solidifying himself again. So far, neither Lupin nor Moody seemed to notice. Moody's fake eye wasn't even spinning in its socket to look at the green-clad man. So far so good.

"You're here to take me to this safe location?" she asked, ignoring Archer's antics.

"That's right," Moody nodded. "Hoped you're packed up for the summer then."

"Yes, sir," Hermione nodded. Stepping back, she opened the door and gestured for them to enter. "Please come in. I have my bags packed up in the living room. I hope you don't mind, but I packed a fair bit. Between the summer reading I do and O.W.L.s this year, there's a lot I want to cover."

"Being prepared eh?" asked Moody as he clomped inside. "That's a good habit to have Granger. Hopefully you can apply it in more ways than just your studies in times like these. Constant Vigilance, I always say."

As the two men entered into the house with Hermione leading the way, Archer was leaping all over the place like a grashopper in his childish attempts to get the two men to notice him. He leaped onto furniture, did ridiculous dances, sang lewd songs at the top of his lungs, and even passed through both former teachers like a true ghost with no reaction being shown by either man. When they reached the living room and began shrinking Hermione's luggage for easier carrying, Archer seemed to give up the ghost and flopped down next to his Master as she began picking up her books.

"_I think it's safe to say that they can't see me,_" Archer grinned.

For her own part, Hermione thought she was going to have a heart attack. She carefully schooled her features so not to show her reactions to Archer lewd singing and dancing which under normal circumstances would have made her blush crimson. Still, she was thankful that neither Lupin nor Moody were able to notice Archer in the first place. If they had, she was pretty sure that she would have died from shame.

"There," Lupin smiled as he pocketed the last of Hermione's trunks. "Is that all?"

"Yes sir," Hermione nodded, tallying her books. "Right then, let's go shall we?"

"Rather pushy today Granger," Moody commented, hobbling for the door again. "That excited to see Potter again?"

"After everything that the Prophet has been saying about him, I do want to see him again if only to make sure he doesn't do something rash," Hermione lied, covering her eagerness to forget Archer's stunts with her eagerness to see Harry again.

"Thankfully Harry's been spared that much, although he suspected as much," Lupin sighed. "Honestly, I don't think I've ever heard of a man deeper in denial. Fudge is going to make us all just one big fat target for the Death Eaters if he carries on like this."

"Hear, hear," Moody growled. "Now let's get a move on. I don't want to be spotted by the neighbours and let them gossip for some of the wrong sort to overhear."

"Alastor, it's a muggle neighbourhood," Lupin sighed. "No self-respecting Death Eater would let themselves be out here unless it's to attack something. You know that."

Hermione smiled. Even if Death Eaters did come while they were leaving, she had a feeling that Archer would be more than capable of dealing with them. Exiting the Granger home, she locked the door behind her and followed her former teachers to her front lawn. "So how are we going to get to where the others are?"

"Apparition," Lupin replied. "It's our only option since its broad daylight. We can't use brooms like this and we can't use the floo with anyone who hasn't been inside before. So, take hold and we'll be there in the blink of an eye."

"Um…ok," Hermione blinked, feeling decidedly pale. Archer could have followed if they were going by broom, or even walked which she had been hoping. She even hoped that they'd be taking the knight bus despite all of the crazy driving which went on with it. Apparition was something that she hadn't really considered, not with the luggage she was bringing. She couldn't tell Archer either and she was somewhat worried that he wouldn't know what apparition was in the first place. How was she going to warn him?

"_Relax Master,_" Archer spoke as his astralized form ducked around the men and Hermione as they headed for a secluded spot on her property. "_I read about that apparition stuff in one of your books. Don't worry. I've got a plan._"

Hermione gulped softly and prayed that Archer was right. Taking refuge underneath a willow tree that blocked the view from the neighbours, Lupin took Hermione's hand and prepared to apparate while Moody took watch. While Lupin was giving a short countdown as a courtesy to the girl, Hermione felt something grab the back of her shirt. Moody gave no indication that he noticed Archer's solid form and neither did Lupin, but it only served to make her more tense.

"Here we go!" Lupin called out and suddenly Hermione felt like she was being compressed into a rubber tube while at the same time she was being yanked in all directions. The effect seemed instant while at the same time lasting forever but it ended just as quickly as it began. In the blink of an eye, Hermione found herself standing in front of a row of townhouses inside London proper. The hand on her shirt was still there, but quickly faded away.

"_That has got to be the least pleasant way to travel,_" Archer muttered as he walked past Lupin and Hermione, rubbing his back. As he walked forward, he stopped before leaned forward as if he was peering at something in the distance. "_Hey, there's a house hidden here. Good thing I've got some decent Magic Resistance or I might not have even noticed it. This is high-class stuff._"

"Here we are," Lupin smiled before he shuffled through his pockets and produced a strip of parchment. "Right then, if you would read this Hermione."

* * *

><p>At that moment in time, Harry and Ron were combating a particularly nasty grandfather clock that had a particularly nasty habit of shooting particularly heavy bolts at whoever had passed it on the upper floors. Both boys were tasked with moving it someplace where it wouldn't be able to shoot at anyone. Strength wasn't an issue since both boys were capable of moving the clock if they worked together, but what made the task difficult was that the clock wasn't going without a fight. Heavy bolts launched themselves at the boys whenever they tried to get close, making it slow going. However, when Saber suggested they just destroy the clock and move the pieces, the clockwork menace seemed to get the message and calm down so the boys could move it.<p>

Finding an old room which seemed to be a formal tea room, the boys set the clock down facing a wall so it wouldn't get any wise ideas and try to shoot at them again.

"Thought we'd never survive," Ron sighed, rubbing his arm which had a particularly nasty bruise thanks to the rebellious clock. "Let's meet the twins in the at their room and see if they need help with anything."

"Right," Harry agreed. "Hopefully it won't be half as troublesome as this-ah!"

"Harry?"

"Master?"

Harry wasn't a stranger to pain coming out of the blue at certain points of his body. However, that was usually centred on his forehead when Voldemort started getting excited or angry. This time, the sword-like marking on Harry's hand began to grow warm and glow with a soft red light. Ron had a basic idea as to what the marking was for, but neither he nor Harry really had any idea as to what it meant what the markings began to glow.

"Saber?" asked Harry.

"A Servant," the black knight replied, his tone stoic and plain. "Master, a Servant is nearby."

Harry felt his pale slightly. Saber had told him about the Grail War and that each participant would have a Servant of their own. He just hadn't been expecting one to show up so soon after summoning Saber! Ron looked somewhat confused as to what was happening, but he could guess that it was something important.

"What do we do?" asked Harry.

"We fight," Saber replied. "Stay here."

Walking past Harry and Ron, Saber made his ways towards the stairway whish led to the front door. Naturally, Harry and Ron began to follow with concern as to if an attack was going to happen or not. Reaching the railings which overlooked the main hall, they saw the front door opening and people entering. Their waited with baited breath behind Saber, wondering if the Servant was there. However, entering the house wasn't someone who looked shifty but Lupin and to their relief, Hermione Granger. Both boys let out a quiet sigh of relief. However, it was not shared with Saber.

The black knight didn't even bother with the stairs and instead leaped from the landing, coming down heavily onto the main floor. The wood boards groaned and the tiles between the door and Saber jumped, their bonding agent failing from both age and the force rumbling through the floor. Saber was silent as he stood up and stared down at Lupin and Hermione. However, his gaze was not on the man or the teenage girl. Rather, his eyes were on a space behind them.

"Show yourself, Servant," Saber barked.

"W-wh-wh," Lupin sputtered.

Hermione was quite pale and was trembling slightly, "A-Archer?"

"Master, run," a new male voice spoke.

Ron and Harry gaped as behind Lupin and Hermione, a man dressed in green colours appeared. He had red hair, making Harry slightly wonder if he was related to the Weasley family out of sheer reflex. Gripped in his hand was an ornate bow that looked like the average size of someone the man's size would use. It was mainly green with black decoration. It was slightly stylized, the furthest tips were black and hooked for an artistic taste. The centre where the archer's hand was gripping it was wrapped in black bandages. Jutting out from where the grip ended were two horn-like instruments which had several notches in them, likely to keep track of how far back the arrow was strung to be connected the archer's memory of how far said arrow would go.

Lupin seemed to get his senses back first and despite not knowing who the green-clad redhead was, he knew enough to recognize a fight when he saw one. Grabbing Hermione by the shoulders he pulled her away from where the archer was standing and headed for the next room over.

That may have well been a gesture for, '_LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLE!_' as muggle announcers liked to say before certain fights.

Saber took the first move and charged at Archer at a full run, possibly aiming to tackle the bowman out of the door. Archer however, was not going to let it happen. Moving at a rapid pace, he retrieved a bright red arrow from his cloak that had a cylinder attached just behind the arrowhead. Notching it into his bow, he pulled back the string with a noticeable stretching noise. Archer then let the arrow fly straight at the black knight. Saber saw the incoming arrow and quickly dived to the side, leaving broken tiles as he skidded across the floor, coming to a stop next to the troll foot umbrella case. The red arrow continued flying and impacted against the far wall before exploding like a hand grenade.

"Woah!" Harry cried as he and Ron backed away to avoid being hit by shrapnel.

"Bloody hell!" Ron gasped.

Saber ignored the explosion and grabbed a crystal-topped cane from the troll foot. Gripping it tightly, Saber pushed his magic into the object. Purple veins spread across the item, making it transform into a crystal spike-tipped weapon which looked decidedly ominous. New weapon in hand, he charged out of his hiding place and at Archer once again. He thrust his improvised weapon forward, using the tip as a piercing point and fighting as if he were fencing. Archer grit his teeth, unable to draw another arrow and instead was forced to deflect the blows with his bow. Saber reared back for another thrust, but Archer quickly took advantage of the lull and dashed to the side, just barely dodging a reactionary swing from Saber's cane.

Archer dove forward and rolled, but as he did so he drew another red arrow and despite his position managed to load it into his bow. Halting himself and coming up to his knees, Archer notched the arrow back and unleashed it. This time, Saber's awkward position with his torso twisted as he tried to get a hit left him poorly positioned to dodge. The arrow hit it's mark at Saber's side, making another explosion and hurling Saber backwards, further destroying the tiles of the entry hall and knocking more loose. The cane was knocked from his hand and rolled away, reverting back to its natural state.

Shaking his head, Saber realized his weapon was gone. Looking around, he began scooping up tiles and pieces of tile into a small pile. Grabbing one of the squares, purple veins spread around it and made it look sinister. Rearing his arm back, Saber threw the tile like a shuriken at Archer. The green-clad man's eyes widened and he leaped straight into the air, letting the transformed tile crash into the opposite wall and explode much like the arrow did. Saber didn't quit as he picked up more ceramic tiles and shards, quickly transform them, and hurl them at Archer who was hanging in the air. The bowman wasn't idle as he drew streamlined silver arrows which were made of metal and fired them off at an incredibly rapid pace. Each arrow struck a tile, causing more explosions as Archer came back down. Saber kept throwing tiles and Archer kept shooting intercepting arrows. Finally, the bowman landed on the ground in a cloud of dust with a red arrow notched backwards. Saber already had a complete tile transmutated and ready to throw again.

And then Mrs. Black had to open her big mouth.

"HOW DARE YOU DIRTY-BLOODED BRUTES DEFILE THE NOBLE AND ANCIENT HOUSE OF BLACK! GET OUT! GET OUT AT ONCE! DO YOU HEAR ME?-! I SAID GET-!"

"SHUT UP!" the two Servants bellowed back.

In an oddly unified action, Archer and Saber shot their respective projectiles at the screeching portrait. Mutated tile and explosive arrow struck the portrait of Walburga Black exploded in red and purple explosions. Pieces of wooden frame and smoldering canvas rained down onto the two Servants, but the heat or the impacts didn't bother them. Nor did the plaster from the leftover crater where the portrait had been irritate them.

"Never could stand nobility that thought they were gods on Earth," Archer snickered, oddly amused at how he and Saber seemed to hate the picture enough to shoot at it. He meant the statement too. He had enough of spoiled and hateful nobles, and the picture of course had to be a noble. No other social class had such screeching voices. It came from having nothing to do but complain about things all day long.

"A stain of honourable titles everywhere," Saber replied. The woman could not have been any less a lady of nobility if she dressed and lived life in the working class, and he had only seen the picture once.

The two combatants then resumed their combat, forgetting the mutual agreement aimed towards the destruction of Mrs. Black's portrait. They were Servants, weapons of their Masters, and as Servants their role was to fight other Servants. Servant VS Servant fights were meant to be secret to preserve the secret of magic. However, considering the witnesses were all magic users, that rule went out the window rather quickly.

Saber still needed a weapon to face Archer with as the bowman notched another arrow. Both were at a stalemate at the moment. Saber couldn't move lest Archer shoot at him with another arrow, but all Saber needed to do was reach an object, anything, and he'd be able to turn it into a weapon. Saber remained still and glanced down at his hands to see if anything was nearby. As he did so, he noticed that a large accumulation of dust had collected over his palms.

'_Maybe…just maybe…_'

With the lull in the fighting, Harry and Ron dared to peek around at what was going on. Likewise, Hermione was peeking around the side of the doorway to the living room with Lupin keeping a hand on her shoulder in case things got wild again. Lupin had his wand at the ready in case things go too wild, but he knew how useless it would be against Saber. He could only hope that this Archer fellow didn't have the same kind of resistance.

Saber broke the silence first bringing his hands together, covered with a considerable layer of dust. The dust quickly changed and took on a faint purple hue as Saber brought it to his helmet. He then inhaled and let out a blast of breath, blowing the dust at Archer. The transformed dust erupted into purple mist-like substance straight at Archer. The sudden and very unexpected attack managed to rattle Archer and keep him from shooting. Saber used it as a perfect distraction as he charged into the purple mist coming back out with his fist reared back.

"Crap!" Archer hissed before he leaped quite ingloriously out of the path of the attack, leaving Saber's fist to smash into the wall, further damaging it. Archer scrambled to his feet and drew back another metal arrow which glinted in the low light. Saber meanwhile grabbed two of the metal rods which made up the staircase and ripped them free before his magic turned them into a pair of grotesquely spike-tipped clubs. The black knight didn't hold back and charged at Archer once again as the green bowman prepared to unleash his next attack.

By now, Harry knew that it had to end. Saber was risking himself with that man's attacks, not to mention everything else in the room which Saber either used as weapons or the bowman destroyed with his red arrows.

Hermione likewise came to the same conclusion, knowing that something had to give before the black knight and Archer went from completely destroying one room and could have levelled the whole house if they didn't stop. Breaking free from Lupin, she stood in the doorway as the knight approached her Archer with his weapons being raised.

"SABER!" Harry barked out as loudly as he could.

"ARCHER!" Hermione shrieked.

"STOP!" both cried out at once.

At the powerful order with so much emotion packed into it, the Command Spells both Harry and Hermione bore reacted. The hilt of Harry's sword markings flashed and vanished as did the right arrow of the cluster Hermione sported. With the markings using their power, both Saber and Archer collapsed like puppets with their strings cut. Archer's arrow dropped from his bow while Saber's clubs fell from his hands and returned to normal. Both struggled to at least get to their knees, but the authority of the Command Spells was preventing them from doing much of anything.

"M-Master," Saber grunted out. "Don't stop me! He's a Servant! I must-!"

"I don't care!" Harry shouted as he dashed down the stairs. "You almost got my friend caught in the crossfire and you're destroying my godfather's house! We need this place to stay a secret and we can't do that if you and this bloke are tearing each other apart!"

Saber frowned, but his helmet did not show it. Opposite of him, Archer was receiving his own scolding.

"-completely reckless and irresponsible! You just take one look and decide to brawl in the middle of someone's house? I thought this whole thing was to remain a secret and instead you fight at the first opportunity! What do you have to say for yourself?" the bushy-haired witch demanded.

"…he started it?" asked Archer with a weak grin.

"Ugh! Boys!" she huffed.

That was when Harry and Hermione both realised that a close friend was chastising a man who was quite obviously a Servant. Both of them turned to gape at one another in stunned silence before looking down to the other's hands. Hermione easily spotted the sword-like marking while Harry eyed the pair of arrows that Hermione had left after her order. It dawned quickly on both teenagers that they had both been drafted, be it unintentionally or on purpose, into the Holy Grail War.

Sometimes, words failed to convey things. Such was the case with the shock that Harry and Hermione were feeling at finding out that probably one of the best and closest friends they had were to be their opponent in a war for a magic which was often called a miracle. They didn't know what they could say to each other with this revelation, nor did they know that there was anything that could be said in the first place

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL IS GOING ON OUT HERE?"

The voice of Molly Weasley was followed quickly by the door to the downstairs kitchen being slammed open and Molly, Arthur, and Sirius spilling into the hallway to gape at the destruction that Archer and Saber had caused in such a short amount of time.

That was when Moody opened the front door, only to find the destruction and a new face he had never seen before.

"Bloody Hell."

* * *

><p><strong>Lovegood Residence-Outdoors<strong>

It was another day at the Lovegood Residence as Xeno was hard at work collecting stories for the next publication while writing up the rest of his final notes on other stories which he felt the public needed to know. Since Luna's own stories were finished and submitted, she didn't have that much to do for the month. As such, she was sitting outside near the woods on an old stump. With her was Caster, who was taking the time to admire the forest near the property up close. The animals seemed to enjoy his presence and came out of the woods to see him. Deer, owls, sparrows, snakes, and even a few moles. Sadly, no crumple-horned snorkacks were among them. Although Luna hadn't held much hope anyway since she knew they were native to Sweden.

"The magic in these woods is strong," Caster commented. "A side effect from magi living nearby for so long I suppose."

"Is that good?" asked Luna. "I read that the Caster Class needs a lot of magical power to use their strongest abilities. I fear I may not have enough."

"You are young yes, but you have enough for me to battle properly should the situation arise," Caster reassured his young master, leaving it unsaid that fighting was inevitable. "This forest though has much, stockpiled from magi living on these lands for so many years."

"The Lovegood family has been very respectful as nature for as long as we have been recording," Luna nodded, pleased. "It does not surprise me that our magic gets along with nature."

"Befitting of one who is my Master," Caster smiled. "If you would permit me, I can tap into this reserve of magic so I have a ready source of mana should dire emergencies arise."

"I suppose it would be all right," Luna shrugged. "But please be courteous to the forest and the animals. The magic belongs to them too. If we take too much they may not feel like giving you any more later."

"A lesson I thankfully learned early and had the wisdom to listen to," Caster nodded. He then returned his attention to the forest and began to walk deeper into its territory. Luna was quick to get up and follow, taking care to brush her skirt off before she did so.

Caster travelled past many trees with the animals following close behind. Luna idly followed, humming a tune as she gently stroked a deer's fur. The animal was rather docile, likely comforted by Caster's presence. The odd procession followed the green knight through the woods until they came across a sunlit clearing which had many flowers and tall grass decorating it. Caster seemed to find the place agreeable as he strolled out into the sunlight before place himself in the middle of the area.

"This should do," he nodded.

Gently gesturing for his Master and the animals to get back, Caster drew his axe. Holding it by its shaft, he raised it into the air and began tracing circles with it. He spoke Gaelic in hushed tones as he began using his ancient magic. Luna watched, utterly entranced knowing that she was watching very ancient magic being cast. It was a kind of magic she knew that worked with the natural order of nature rather than imposing the logic of humanity onto it.

She just hoped her daddy would let her use his pensieve when they returned.

The emeralds on the axe began to shine as Caster's power flowed into them. As the gems began to glow like green stars, Caster gripped the weapon in both hands before slamming it into the grassy ground. Green energy rippled through the ground as Caster's magic sunk in. At first nothing happened, but Luna knew that magic made to work with nature wasn't as quick as the kind modern wizards used. Her patience was soon rewarded as a circle of medium-sized round rocks rose out of the ground at Caster's feet like bubbles out of water. From there, a larger circle of rocks rose at the four cardinal points, pointed at the tip wind picked up the displaced dirt and eroded runes into the flat faces of the rocksFinally, larger stones rose in a circular pattern, massive rocks which looked like they should have been found in a quarry. Like the runes, loose soil was picked up by the wind and seemed to erode the boulders into rectangular blocks which looked like protective monoliths each with a large rune of their own etched onto their surface.

"It is done," Caster nodded, retracting his axe from the ground. Standing up, he admired his work. "This will extract the magic from the forest until I need to use it. Only so much will be taken until it is full. Once it is, no more shall be taken. Nature will be given time to heal."

"And nature provides all we need," Luna smiled.

"But in the War to come, our need will become great," Caster replied.

* * *

><p><strong>#12 Grimmauld Place-Kitchen<strong>

Hermione and Harry was the centre of attention with Archer at their respective Master's side. The two Servants gave each other dirty looks, though it was hard to tell considering Saber kept his helmet on 24/7 and never once removed it. Of course, his body language spoke volumes as his fingers twitched. Archer was likewise feeling just as agitated, at least for his Master's sake. He was giving Saber a look of challenge and was probably thinking along the lines of, 'This isn't over'. However, they would not be able to continue their little duel and considering their Masters were friends it was unlikely that they would ever get a rematch.

"Ms. Granger, I think you have some explaining to do," Lupin frowned, showing his rarely used stern side.

The entry hall was currently under repair between the efforts of Molly, Arthur, and Tonks. Unfortunately, as much repair work as their spellcrafting could do there was still a lot that had to be replaced. Saber using the tile work as a weapon made the pieces he used a complete loss, meaning that entire tiles were missing or ones were only half there since Saber had used the rest as weapons. Archer's explosive arrows didn't help either, destroying portions of the walls to the point where some actual work would have to be done to fix them. The only thing that no one seemed upset about was the loss of Walburga Black's portrait.

Sirius had in fact been overjoyed that little fact and had almost offered to by the knight and bowman pints from the leaky cauldron before Lupin and Moody started a little bit of interrogation to try and figure out 1: what the bloody hell happened and 2: who was the redhead that Hermione had brought along with her.

"Now just who the bloody hell is this then?" asked Moody with a growl. He hated unknown variables and now had to deal with two of them in Saber and Archer.

"Well…" Hermione flushed. "This…this is Archer."

"At your service with a smile," the redhead grinned with a salute.

"That's enough out of you," Lupin warned. "You're on thin ice as it is thanks to your little brawl."

"Which I would like to know why it happened in the first place," Moody added.

Hermione and Harry both felt the urge to gulp. Moody's eye was leaping between the four subjects wildly, keeping an eye on all of them. Ron, Ginny, and the Twins were confined to upstairs and unable to see the proceedings. Although knowing the twins they'd have their ways of listening in, not wanting something this juicy to go by unchecked.

"We're Servants," Saber spoke up, drawing attention to himself. "When we meet, we battle."

"What he said," Archer shrugged. "It was just your bad luck we saw each other right then and there."

"Then how the bloody hell did you get there?" demanded Moody. "No one was around when we left Granger's house."

"Oh, but there was," Archer grinned teasingly. "I was there the whole time. You see, Master had me astralize so that only she could see me. When you two showed up I danced and sang all over the place yet you two were none the wiser. When you were about to leave, I solidified myself and grabbed hold and off we went. Once we landed, I astralized again."

Lupin frowned at the explanation, remembering that the apparition felt rather heavy for just two people.

"Then why did Saber seem to see you?" asked Moody sourly, not liking that someone gave him of all people the slip when he had used so many precautions.

"Servants are able to see one another even when they're astralized," Saber replied. "I can do the same and Archer would have been able to see me were our positions reversed."

Moody growled and clomped away, likely to blast something before his temper got the better of him. Lupin, as upset as he was seemed more curious about what was going on than the damage that the two had done. After all, everything that the two had broken was easily replaced. With the way that the knight and bowman were going at one another it was a miracle that no one had gotten seriously hurt much less killed.

"Just how did you meet Hermione?" he asked.

"She summoned me of course," Archer shrugged. "How else would she have met me?"

"And just where did she summon you from?" Lupin pressed.

"Same place as Saber," was the redhead's answer.

Lupin rolled his eyes, but Archer's grin said that the bowman was being annoying on purpose. The werewolf wasn't sure which he preferred, Saber's stoic silence or Archer's mischievous avoidance of the truth. At least with Saber you wouldn't be any worse off than where you began for a while but with Archer you got answers, even if you really weren't told much by those answers. Still, Lupin had to admire the brand of chaos that the two brought to Grimmauld Place. Destructive to be sure, but it livened the place up immensely. Were he not the mature man he was now, Lupin would have been celebrating the destruction of the old bint's portrait and singing the two men's praises right next to Sirius. Since he was the mature one though, he needed to get some answers. Since Archer nor Saber were giving any answers and Harry seemed just as confused as Lupin felt about where Saber had come from, that left Hermione to try and pump for answers.

"Hermione," he sighed. "Do you know how you managed to call Archer?"

"Well," Hermione frowned, biting her lip. "I was researching summoning familiars and such in other branches of magic. Magic that Hogwarts doesn't regularly teach. I found the field of summoning particularly interesting and decided to try my hand at it. Since it didn't require a wand, I didn't think the Ministry would be able to notice. So I picked an array and followed the instructions. When I completed the spell, Archer appeared."

Hermione and Harry both knew that she was lying through her teeth. There was so much more to Archer and Saber's appearance than what the girl was telling. The Holy Grail War was a huge part as to why the Servants were summoned and both of them knew it. They also knew that if the adults found out, they would do all in their power to keep Harry and Hermione out of such things or perhaps even try to take their places in the battle for the Grail. Both teens knew that the Grail could be just what they needed to defeat Voldemort once and for all and while opting out felt like a good thing, they both knew there was no such option.

The two also silently vowed to talk with each other, in private, about their situation. While they were friends, their positions as Masters now made them opponents in the coming conflict. It was indeed a moral dilemma they hoped to rectify soon.

"Is that all because I was hoping for some refreshments," said Archer. "Maybe some tea and something to eat?"

"Perhaps some tea would be a good idea," Lupin sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Molly's having kittens as it is so letting her know everything's okay would be helpful. Some dinner sounds pretty good right now too."

"Sounds great!" Archer grinned.

"If we're done here," Saber spoke, standing up. Harry did the same with Hermione and Archer. All four of them quickly made their leave so to avoid making Moody any more upset than he no doubt was. Harry could tell that Saber was not pleased with how the battle had turned out, but he also knew that he really couldn't do anything about it at this point either. Somehow, Harry knew that Saber might be making his displeasure known sooner or later.

The four emerged from the stairway to the kitchen and into the main hall where the battle had taken place. Arthur and Tonks were animating brooms to sweep up the debris and dust that had collected from the fight. Molly on the other hand was collecting up the trash into a large waste bin and muttering what she was going to do to Archer and Saber once she got her hands on them. From her dark mutterings, it made Harry and Hermione wonder if they should have astralized their Servants for their own safety.

"Maybe we should just sneak on by," Harry whispered to Hermione.

"Right," Hermione agreed.

That was the moment Tonks decided to turn and spotted the four. A bright grin came across her face, "If it isn't the wrecking crew. Great work on that portrait. I never liked her much in life and I hated having to walk on tiptoe around her picture."

"Nymphandora!" Molly snapped at the junior auror before turning to face the two Servants. "And don't think you two are getting off so easily! You've already caused more than enough damage and now you'll have to fix it! You two will be working on repairing your mess along with cleaning up the rest of this miserable house if I have anything to say about it!"

"Hnnn," Saber sighed.

"Oh come on!" Archer groaned. "Saber broke way more stuff than I did!"

"No excuses!" Molly snapped. "The both of you are going to clean up this mess and then you'll start cleaning up the drawing room! Now hop to it!"

Archer grumbled as Saber responded silently. They may be named Servants, but this was not what they were made for. However, neither argued with the Weasley matriarch and proceeded to assist in cleaning up the mess they had been responsible with causing. Saber immediately grabbed one of the brooms and set to work with Archer, with extreme reluctance, did the same.

Harry and Hermione just looked at one another and gulped, hoping that Molly wouldn't turn on them. While they did feel somewhat responsible for Saber and Archer's spree of destruction, they had not desire to face down the woman's infamous temper.

"Now then," she sighed, glancing at the two teens. "Harry, Hermione, the others are upstairs working on the tea room. If you would be so kind, go up there and give them a hand."

"Yes Mrs. Weasley," both teens nodded before they made a (polite) rush for the stairs before Molly changed her mind about being mad at them.

"Traitor!" Archer's outraged whine followed the pair up the stairs.

* * *

><p><strong>Malfoy Manor<strong>

Lancer stood at attention inside of his Master's room, silently bemoaning the fact that he did not possess Mystic Eyes capable incinerating the woman on the spot. Bellatrix was lying on her bed, cooing to herself and mumbling over and over. All she would talk about was that blasted Voldemort and how all of the mudbloods were going to pay the price for daring think they had a place in their world. The woman seemed more loving of the snake-faced freak than her own husband. More over, the woman was clearly insane and a threat to pretty much everyone around her that didn't fit into her own little fantasy world.

Not that he could talk about the dangers of insanity, but at least he focused on one person rather than the world at large.

Lancer absolutely despised being told what to do and aside from using frivolous magic to cause pain, that seemed to be all his Master was good at. Obviously she was one of the so-called nobility who seemed to feel that the world was made especially for them and everything and everyone else was meant to serve them. His Master and her comrades sure seemed to think that was the case as they talked plans of conquering their own society and expelling those who felt didn't deserve to have a place just because of their parentage.

Lancer himself may have fought in wars with people who were different, but he never fought with the belief that he was invincible just because of his parentage. Oh, he was confident and believed that there were only few warriors that could strike him down, but he never believed that he was invincible. He relied on his skill, his strength, and his experience to get him through his battles, not some born belief that he was superior thanks to his parents. That was not how he wanted to craft his legend, coasting along and making it seem like his victories were because of his family rather than his own skill and abilities. However, it seemed that his Master was happy to attribute any power and victories to the fact that she had pure magi blood in her veins.

That attitude made Lancer sick with disgust.

"With the Dark Lord in possession of the Grail, all of the world will belong to the Purebloods, just as it should," Bellatrix giggled as she rolled on bed. "Wouldn't that just be paradise Lancer? A world where the power of Pureblood magic is unrestricted by mudblood filth and muggle taint. Ooooooh, it gives me shivers."

"Hn," Lancer grunted.

The answer apparently was not what she wanted to hear. Pushing herself up with her hands, she glared at Lancer, "I asked you a question. I expect an answer."

Lancer cast a glare at the insane witch, "Master, I do not care about your world of so-called blood purity. It's a ridiculous ideal to fight for when you could be conquering cities or nations. Instead, you focus on the people who live alongside your own and cut down on potential recruits on a future army. Even if you win this blood war, you will leave yourself open to foreign invasion and if you are all as fanatical as I have soon so far, you'll crumble even faster that the so-called corrupted society you hate. Mark my words."

The insult to her Master's vision caused Bellatrix to fly into a rage, her wand pointing at Lancer, "How dare you insult the Dark Lord's vision!-? _Crucio!_"

The blast of magical pain cut through the room and straight at Lancer. The Greek warrior didn't even both to defend himself and took the bolt straight in the chest. Bellatrix expected the Servant to be rolling on the ground in pain like her many, many previous victims. Instead though, the spell spattered against his armoured torso and showed that it had absolutely no effect on the Heroic Spirit. Then in the blink of an eye, the Servant dashed across the room and grabbed Bellatrix by the throat. Mercilessly, he lifted her up clear off the bed despite the choking noises she emitted and brought her eyes close to his.

"I am not some commoner you can intimidate with your petty magics," Lancer growled. "Were you anyone else but my Master, I would have killed your for the insolence you've shown me thus far. As it is, I only serve you because you hold the Command Spells. Because you are my Master, I offer this advice once; Know your place."

Message delivered, he dropped Bellatrix onto the bed and turned away. As Bellatrix got her breath back with a hacking cough, she glared venomously at the retreating Greek warrior. Snarling, she barked out her next words with absolute loathing, "I forbid you from laying a hand on me ever again!"

Now, Bellatrix made that order as a member of who she felt was the Pureblood elite. She hadn't really been given the entire story behind the Command Spells because she hadn't felt it was necessary to speak to Lars about them. She knew they allowed her to control her Servant and would force him to obey her orders. A rational person such as Voldemort and Lucius knew they had to learn everything about the Heaven's Feel since they didn't know much of anything and Lars was the resident expert. However, Bellatrix was far from rational thanks to her already existing sadistic mindset mixed with her exposure to Azkaban. In her mind, the Command Spells were magic, she controlled them, and thus that was all she needed to know. Magic was hers to manipulate as she desired, without limit or restraint.

As such, she didn't notice the skull-like marking on her hand suddenly lose its lower jaw as the Command Spell was used up. Lancer however, did.

"As you wish…Master," Lancer muttered as he left. '_One down, two to go._'

* * *

><p><strong>#12 Grimmauld Place-Tea Room<strong>

"I've got to say Harry, that fight was wicked awesome but bloody scary," Ron commented.

The five teenagers were inside the Black Family tea room, cleaning it up as best they could. Doxies were infesting the drapes which Fred and George were taking care of with some doxicide. However, rather than tossing the fairy-like monsters out the terrible two were bagging them and saving them for later. Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Ginny was sweeping up the dust and broken trinkets which could be found. They were also inspecting what items were still there just to be sure that they weren't charmed to hurt anybody and if they were, dispose of them. If they felt the objects were really dangerous though, report them to the adults.

"Ron…" Hermione sighed, not wanting to be reminded of the conflict.

"Shame we missed it," Fred grinned. "Sure brought some life into this place."

"They also blew up that old hag too," George added. "We'll be celebrating that later."

Harry silently agreed, but knew better not to or else Hermione wouldn't let him hear the end of it. He had heard the portrait spew enough blood purity slurs to last him a lifetime. He had heard it enough from the likes of Malfoy and his gang of Slytherins. They were probably going to be much worse in the coming year since their Death Eater parents likely told them that the Dark Lord had returned and if Malfoy was any indication, going to be that much more smug and arrogant. Harry didn't want to have to deal with it during the summer, so he considered the battle between Archer and Saber to be a blessing in disguise.

"Must have been something though," Ginny commented. "Ron said that Saber was actually using broken tiles as weapons that exploded when he threw them at something."

"Don't ask me how he does it," Harry shrugged. "It's like everything he touches he can turn into a weapon. I saw him do it to a cricket bat and a fire poker before we got here."

"Again, wicked scary that," Ron shivered.

George finished dropping some doxy eggs into his collection bag as the curtain he was working on was considered pest-free, "I'm more interested in that bloke Hermione brought with her. I thought I noticed a rather vibrant shade of red hair, didn't you Fred?"

"That I did George," Fred nodded sagely. "Why, if I did not know any better he shared some kind of family relation to us."

"Could be, could be," the first twin nodded. "So just where do you have that bloke hidden away Hermione?"

"He's downstairs with Saber. Your mother ordered the two of them to clean up their mess," Hermione replied, making the twins flinch in sympathy.

"Yeesh! After a mess like they made? Mum'll be fit to be tied," George grimaced.

"Don't envy them," Fred agreed. "Mum'll be on the warpath for hours even if they do clean it up."

The Weasley children seemed to let the matter drop since they knew what situation the two Servants were was one they had personally experienced or had witnessed before in the past. It was some measure of relief for Harry and Hermione since they were feeling awkward enough around one another. They both knew of the Holy Grail War and were surprised to find themselves as opponents with Servants of their own. They knew that they couldn't put off talking to one another about the problem for very long. The major question was just how they were going to do that.

Hermione for her own part was already thinking about that. Glancing over to Fred and George, she spotted that they had used up most of their doxicide in cleaning the drapes in the room. It was the perfect opportunity for her so she decided that she wouldn't get much of a better opportunity than this.

"I'll see if we don't have any more doxicide," she announced, dusting off her hands. "Harry, if you could lend me a hand?"

"Huh?" Harry blinked. Hermione arched her brow in an expectant fashion and suddenly he knew it would be a good idea to follow her lead. "R-right. Lead the way."

The two teens then left the room hoping that no one would be the wiser. Rather than heading downstairs to ask the adults about more of the doxicide, Hermione dragged Harry away from the main activity in the house and towards another room. Picking one at random, she opened the door and ushered Harry inside before shutting it. The room itself looked like the infamous drawing room with cabinets filled with all sorts of trinkets and what looked like a mural filled with faces of people and their names beneath it.

"All right Harry," Hermione spoke up as she shut the door. "I assume you know what summoning Saber means?"

"You mean the Holy Grail War," Harry frowned. "Saber told me about it. A competition with a wish for absolutely anything as the prize."

"Archer told me about it too," Hermione nodded. "But Harry, how did you summon Saber? I had to research into branches of magic that the Ministry hates to find out how to do it. I also know your relatives hate you doing anything magical anywhere near their house."

"You don't-?" Harry began in confusion, only to realize that between the fight between Archer and Saber and the resulting interrogation he hadn't managed to say barely two words to Hermione. "Me and Dudley were attacked by two Dementors yesterday," Hermione gasped and even went so far as to cover her mouth in shock. "We ran to one of the empty houses hid inside of it, but they got inside. I tried to fight it, but I tripped over something and then…Saber just showed up. He beat one of them off and even killed the other."

"He…he killed…" Hermione gasped before she shook her head to get back to the subject. "Harry, summoning Servants like Saber and Archer requires a complex summoning array. Was there anything drawn on the floor of the house you were hiding in?"

"There were boxes all over the place and I really wasn't paying attention to the floor," Harry shrugged.

"So likely luck then," Hermione sighed. Ever since meeting Harry, she found that he had an incredible amount of luck with him to do some of the things he set out to do. Unfortunately, for every major amount of good luck that Harry seemed to use, an equal proportion of bad luck seemed to follow just as quickly. What bothered her was that a perfectly usable summoning array was left inside of a house to just activate with the first person who found it. Who would do something so irresponsible? Heaven knows if a muggle came across it by accident, what if a wizard did find it and summoned something much worse than a Servant?

"Hermione, do you think you could tell me anything you know about the War?" asked Harry. "Saber only told me what it was about and not much else."

"Right," Hermione nodded. "Well, Archer told me that there would only be seven combatants, and each of them will have a specific Servant. Each one will bear a specific title; Saber, Archer, Lancer, Caster, Berserker, Rider, and Assassin. Each of them will be Servants summoned from the Throne of Heroes and-"

"Wait, what?" asked Harry.

"Saber didn't tell you where he came from didn't he?" Hermione sighed. Without waiting for an answer, she continued. "Each of the Servants are known as Heroic Spirits. Apparently when a hero dies they go to a place called the Throne of Heroes until they're needed once again. Archer and Saber need to use their Class names as titles since if someone figured out their real names, they'd learn how to defeat them."

Harry blinked at the explanation. Saber and Archer were legendary heroes? They were already dead? Throne of Heroes? Questions were whirling around his head, but he kept himself levelled on what he needed to talk to his friend about. He could interrogate Saber for further answers later, "So, what about us then? You and I are both involved in this now. What are we going to do?"

"Well," Hermione grimaced, rubbing her arm. "We don't have to fight immediately. I'm certain we want the Grail for the same thing; defeating Voldemort once and for all, right?" seeing Harry nod, she continued. "Then maybe we could work together and see if we can't get the Grail ourselves and then decide who can use it."

"Sounds good to me," Harry smiled in relief. "Saber might think otherwise."

"Well, we're Masters so in the end it's our decision," Hermione shrugged.

An air of relief came over the pair as they left the drawing room and headed down to actually get the doxicide that they were supposedly out to find. Travelling down the stairs, Saber and Archer were still cleaning up the residue of their fight. Saber was stoically working along the floor with his broom while Archer was grumbling under his breath. Both Servants seemed preoccupied so Harry and Hermione were able to head to the kitchen so to ask about the pest control potions. Travelling down the stairs, they reached the kitchen where the adults currently in the house were busy conversing over something.

"Um…sorry to interrupt," Hermione awkwardly announced herself. "But we might need some more doxicide if it's not-"

"No, no, it's fine," Arthur quickly spoke up as he stood from the group.

It was becoming clear that the adults were agitated about something, but it wasn't about the fight which had occurred upstairs. For one, Molly looked outraged rather than just angry. Sirius looked also very angry about something. Considering he was over the moon about the fight having destroyed his mother's portrait, he couldn't have been angry over the damage. Everyone else in the room looked rather glum about something or at least affronted like Tonks, whose hair had turned red to match the look on her face.

"What's wrong?" asked Harry.

"Well," Arthur grimaced, retrieving a piece of parchment from the table. "Harry, you're going to want to read this."

Frowning, Harry approached the table to take the parchment. Bringing it close, began reading the lines.

_Arthur,_

_Bad news. I got wind that Fudge is planning to have Harry interrogated inside a courtroom. Fudge is already having charges written up, ready to prosecute. He's pulling out all of the big guns on this one. He's really paranoid about this too. He's sealed all notes about this investigation and only Hopkirk and the first responders seem to know about it. Something doesn't smell right. You'd better get the boy prepared. Fudge is probably going to try and spring this on him without warning._

_Perkins_

Harry wasn't sure if he should have felt enraged or stunned at what he had just read. On one hand he was completely outraged that Fudge was going this far to try and discredit him. If the idiot had all the drive to go this far to try and keep a teenage boy quiet for whatever reasons, he could at least spare a few people to investigate the scene where Harry reported Voldemort meeting his rebirth! Of course, that same information also stunned Harry, finding it amazing that Fudge would go so far to keep his head in the sand and avoid conflict rather than doing his job. A Minister's duty as an elected official was to govern and help keep the society stable after all. Fudge, as far as Harry was concerned, seemed more interested in avoiding work and taking the praise as being the man who led magical Britain.

"So what do we do now?" asked Harry, tempering himself until he could decide if he was going to be enraged or stunned.

"We'll have to keep on our toes and hopefully some of our friends in the Ministry can give us a heads up in case Fudge tries anything," Arthur sighed. "Until then, we'll have to wait."

"Bugger," Harry growled.

* * *

><p><strong>Malfoy Manor<strong>

Lars was reading over the notes of his ritual next to his Grail War books once again to try and see where his ceremony had failed. As a magus, his pride wouldn't allow him to accept anything less than perfection from his spellcrafting. However, it wasn't the only thing that was on his mind during that darkening sky.

Lucius Malfoy, the eternal kiss-ass that he was, had a habit of reporting anything he considered important to the Dark Lord. Every meeting they had the blonde would report whatever that moron Fudge was doing. It seemed the Death Eaters feared that since The-Boy-Who-Lived had escaped The Dark Lord's revival, he would have been able to turn wizarding Britain against them. Instead, Fudge was burying his head in the ground and pretending that nothing was wrong. Instead, he was actually trying to paint the boy and Dumbledore by extension as delusional, effectively doing the work for the Death Eaters. It was certainly a boon, but the Dark Lord also knew he had to be careful since one sighting would prove the boy right and make things that much worse before they were ready.

That was something Lars wasn't prepared for. The Ministry wasn't too concerned about it since so many of Voldemort's supporters were littered in there and would be able to postpone things far enough to become ineffective. What made Lars worry was what Clock Tower would do. While he had been too young to know much about the Dark Lord's first rise, his research into the man at Clock Tower before he decided to join was telling. Enforcers had been on Voldemort's trail for some time, but he had been running circles around them. As reports of things he was doing grew, more professional enforcers began joining the hunt. When his body was destroyed by Harry Potter, it was rumoured that a Sealing Designation was being considered. One was certainly considered for Harry Potter after he supposedly survived the Killing Curse. After reports of the boy growing up rather unremarkably popped up the idea was dropped. However, Lars was under no illusion that if it was discovered that Voldemort had come back to life then a Sealing Designation would be slapped on him faster than anyone could see. The top Enforcers would be sent at him and Lars didn't exactly like the chances of facing against someone like them.

So with having to lay low, the Dark Lord wanted information and that was something Lucius had plenty of since he was such good friends with Fudge. An interesting tidbit he reported was that Harry Potter was being all but accused for using magic in a muggle neighbourhood and in front of a muggle of all people. Technically it was an investigation, but with Fudge's paranoia he was going to pull as many strings as he could to turn it into an official trial even without an arrest.

That didn't make it a guarantee in Lars' eyes though. As much as Fudge was gullible and easily bribed, there were those in the other Ministry offices that were steadfast in justice and doing the right thing. Amelia Bones was one such person who would fight a conviction and even arrest until the evidence backed the claim one hundred percent. There were also a number of people on the Wizengamot who would also want to see evidence rather than gold and favours and thus would fight Fudge trying to railroad a mock trial. No, something special was going to be needed. Something no one would see coming. Something to take down Potter and shut his mouth about the Dark Lord before someone actually started believing him.

"Rider," he whispered. "I think it's time you went out and stretched your legs."

"_Do you Master?_" asked the hooded Servant, walking out of the shadows. "_Who shall I kill then?_

**To Be Continued…**

* * *

><p>AN: Well, Archer and Saber clash with only Molly Weasley being the clear winner. Outside, forces are beginning to move while others may be holding plots of their own. Next chapter will see more battles, blood, and bungling for our least favourite minister.


	5. Ride through the Ministry

I do not own Harry Potter or Fate/Stay Night. They belong to J.K. Rowling and Type-Moon. I am not making any kind of profit out of this so don't get any ideas about suing for profit or something. Those of you who are reading this for fun, enjoy!

Fate/Ingens Cor

By Ten-Faced Paladin

Chapter 5: Ride through the Ministry

**#12 Grimmauld Place—Harry and Ron's Room**

Harry watched as the sunlight shone through the window as the new day started. Ron was snoring like a chainsaw as he somehow managed to avoid the process of waking up as much as possible. Saber was present and was sitting on a chair, perfectly still as he watched over Harry during the night. The knight had only given a brief nod to show that he was still awake and had been watching Harry. Having long since gotten used to Saber's presence during the last few days, Harry just lay back and let his thoughts wander.

News of Archer's arrival and his fight with Saber seemed to cause some commotion among the other Order members. Other allied aurors like Kingsley Shacklebolt, the foreign-looking man who had helped guide Harry to Grimmauld Place, arrived to see just what was going on. Snape of course dropped by but made sure to keep a fair distance from Saber and simply pretended that Archer didn't exist when he got a report from the usual guests as to what had occurred. Still, it seemed that despite things having calmed down after the fight and the damage (save for Mrs. Black's portrait) had been repaired, no one seemed to be very trusting either of the two one-hundred percent.

Saber seemed to intimidate everyone save for Harry. He supposed that because of Saber's armour and his refusal to remove any piece of it. Considering the damage he made to the entry hall with just improvised weapons and everyday objects, it was a good reason to be concerned. Hermione seemed to be the only one who was indifferent to Saber, likely because she already had Archer on her side. Ron was creeped out enough by Saber, but the twins seemed to think he was just wicked to look at. Of course, they made sure to keep on his good side at all times so that he didn't take something like a wooden spoon and try to beat them up with it.

Speaking of the twins thought, they seemed to get along swimmingly with Archer. They were in the midst of a prank war to prove who could outdo who. Despite not having any magical trinkets or other means like the twins did, Archer managed to lay down incredible traps with chairs, string, various food items and whatever else was handy to leave the twins with egg on their faces. Rather than being upset by it though, the twins took it as a challenge to their pranking skills and devised clever counter traps to combat the green menace. However, Archer was proving to be a master at the craft and was leading by a large margin. Truly, Archer was making attempts to get along with everyone and for the most part it seemed to be working. Archer's bright red hair may even have convinced others that he was related to the Weasley twins if his mischievous personality wasn't enough.

The only person who seemed to dislike Archer was Saber, and the feeling was apparently mutual. However, it seemed more of a professional dislike since they were on opposing sides in the Grail War even if their Masters were in an alliance for the time being. Harry suspected that if it weren't their positions in the conflict, he wouldn't have been terribly surprised to find the two of them drinking butterbeer together at the Leaky Cauldron or something.

Despite all of the new and old faces mixed with things to keep his mind occupied though, the one person Harry wanted to see was Albus Dumbledore. The venerable headmaster whom Harry felt like he could talk to about recent events was nowhere to be seen despite being the founder and leader of the Order. What few times that he did appear apparently, it was when Harry was busy with some of the tasks in the house which would last long enough for Dumbledore to deal with his business and be on his ways. Harry had asked what the old man had been doing, but no one really seemed to know or at least wasn't telling. Not even Sirius had anything to say and he was always honest with Harry.

Of course Harry had other concerns, like his hearing for instance. Being put in court was not exactly something Harry pictured himself doing unless it was to be a witness to a crime and not the defendant. Still, it seemed that Fudge's outright denial of Harry's warning and Dumbledore's support was completely out of control if Perkins' letter was any indication. Tonks had let it slip that Fudge had stripped Dumbledore's position as head of the Wizengamot and took the position for himself. Fudge was grasping for power and seemed to be trying to kick Dumbledore out and shut Harry up if how he was trying to go for a trial was any indication.

Hermione, Tonks, Arthur, and many of the other people who had an inkling of magical law kept reassuring that Harry was okay. However, Harry still wasn't too sure. He knew that he was responsible for the burst of magic no matter how unintentional it was. He also knew that he was going to be grilled about magic being cast in front of his muggle cousin, never mind the fact that his cousin was permitted to know about it since he was a direct relation. He would also be grilled as to what situation warranted the use of magic, unintentional or otherwise and may very well in fact have to reveal that Dementors were attacking him at the time.

Of course, Saber had offered some suggestions…

KNOCK! KNOCK!

"Harry! Ron! Saber!" Ginny called through the door. "Mum has breakfast ready! Get dressed already!"

"Snk! Five mo' minutes," Ron grumbled as he rolled in his sleep.

"Right, right," Harry sighed, pulling himself out of bed.

After another battle to wake Ron up completely and getting dressed, the three made their way downstairs. Trudging along to the kitchen, the group convened at the table with Hermione, Ginny, and Archer. The green-clad Servant seemed a little grumpy in the morning like usual since he had to sit outside the girls' room all night. As much as he insisted it was to protect Hermione, Molly wouldn't hear of Archer sharing the room with the girls. Of course, Hermione had long since gotten used to his presence and as the prank war got into full swing, Archer had given Ginny some tips of his traps, cementing her on his side. Harry once heard her mention it was almost like having another older brother considering how familiar he was with her and his red hair.

Molly had left breakfast out for everyone while she went to check up on everyone else, being the mother hen that she was. Everyone else dug in, but Harry only nibbled at the food with Saber the only one not eating.

"Are you nervous Master?" asked the black knight.

"Is it that obvious?" asked Harry.

"Of course," Saber nodded. "It is only natural to be nervous when you are facing circumstances such as what you are facing."

"It's just," Harry sighed. "I've never faced something like this before. I'm only a teenager and I'm practically going on trial."

"Then it is best that we prepare for it now while we can," Saber replied. "No doubt this corrupt politician will throw everything he can at you to ensure he gets his way and removes you to a threat to him. However, what threat a young man can be to the leader of a people I cannot say I understand."

"When you're corrupt, you get damn paranoid thinking that everyone who knows it will be out to get you," Archer commented, eating some sausage. "The paranoid ones are especially dangerous since they will pull literally every dirty trick they can to get rid of you since you're a threat in whatever way they view. You don't even have to be what regular folks would consider a threat. You just have to have the ability to destabilize the perfect little world they built for themselves."

Harry conceded that fact. Proclaiming that Voldemort had returned would certainly break the little world Fudge made for himself where he's a perfect minister and won't have to deal with anything bad or Dark during his term. Likewise accusing some of Fudge's supporters of being Death Eaters, who were likely supplementing his income, would break that world since it would mean that the Ministry was wrong or had been tricked. That would shatter Fudge's illusions of the Ministry's absolute authority and perfection. Of course, it would also mean that Fudge would be put under suspicion of wrongdoing by associating so heavily with such people. He could kiss his position goodbye with that.

"You sound like you have experience with such people," Hermione commented.

"More than I'd like," Archer grimaced.

"Archer's words have merit," Saber nodded. "Since this 'Fudge' will no doubt attempt to use trickery to discredit you, we must prepare immediately since he will no doubt attempt to surprise you with your appointment so he may claim you missed it."

"Sounds like something Fudge would do," Ginny grumbled.

"I suggest we use the 'Flip the Chessboard' strategy," Archer spoke up.

"Flip the Chessboard?" asked Ron. "What's that mean?"

"It basically means that we put the guy making accusations on the defensive," Archer explained. "I mean, Harry supposedly used magic in front of non-magical people. Well, Harry says that he was being attacked by Dementors. Since Master told me that the Ministry controls them, it obviously means that someone sent them."

"But Fudge can just deny that," reminded Ginny. "No one would have the authority to challenge him on it anyway."

"Not if we make him slip up," Saber retorted. "We might be able to trick him into saying Dementors were attacking before Master does. If Fudge was not abusing his authority, then how would he know about the attack?"

"Maybe," Harry admitted. "That's assuming he had something to do with it. For all we know it was Voldemort's idea and he had managed to get the Dementors to side with him."

"Good point," Archer admitted.

"Maybe the Black Library has some books on wizarding law that we can look at," Hermione frowned. "Assuming that Sirius can tell us which ones are safe to look at anyway."

"A wise decision," Saber agreed. "We should research now while we have some free time. We don't know when something might come up."

"Well then," Hermione nodded. "Let's get started."

* * *

><p><strong>Malfoy Manor—Outside<strong>

The sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon as the day had begun for many people of Wiltshire, both magical and muggle. Malfoy manor was no different save for one recent new resident. Walking out of Malfoy Manner and through the morning shadows which the rising sun created with the expansive forest before the manor, the cloaked form of Rider emerged.

The Servant had been ordered to kill a specific target which was a point of concern for his Master. Frankly, Rider thought that the chance to kill something was long overdue. Those blasted elves which liked to scurry around lost its thrill when he got the first one. The rest were just to pass the time. The blood was fine, but no one seemed to notice that there were less of the little things which was something of a torn issue for Rider. On one hand, he was free to keep killing but on the other no one would know what he was doing and that was a slight against his pride.

'_No matter. People will see this day,_' Rider thought to himself as he began walking down the cobblestone path toward the gates of Malfoy Manor.

As he walked closer to the gate, Rider began to exorcise his power for the first time since he was summoned. Black smoke began to leap from his mask as if there was a fire hidden within the shadows of his hood. As he walked, more and more smoke erupted from the hood. More and more black smoke erupted from the hood until a geyser of it blasted out from Rider's hood. It bellowed and collected like black mist. As it seemed to swallow up the scenery in front of Rider, a clopping noise could be hears coming from within. After a moment of the noise growing louder, a large black horse erupted from the smoke with a loud and deep neighing noise.

It was a majestic beast, looking like a strong and powerful as only a horse could. It's hair was obsidian black, but its eyes were a molten red. It was adorned with a black leather saddle with reins, decorated with white accents. At the side and attached to the horn of the saddle with a thick rope was a large sack which appeared to be filled with several round objects of some sort. As the beast clopped on the cobblestone path, its hooves made angry sparks as they impacted against the stone.

Rider walked up to the horse and ran a hand along its neck, "_Shwarze Kutsche. Our time for blood and glory has come again._"

Grabbing the horn, Rider placed a foot in the stirrup and hefted himself atop of the Phantasmal Beast. The horse gave another loud neigh, cinders actually coming out of its mouth before Rider got himself secured. Taking the reins, he whipped them to get the horse into motion. The Phantasmal Beast neighed loudly before galloping straight at the Malfoy Manor gates. As they drew closer, the horse took a flying leap and easily cleared the iron bars. Hitting the dirt, the black horse continued its gallop, not slowing down once, leaving smouldering hoofmarks in the dirt as went.

* * *

><p><strong>#12 Grimmauld Place-Black Family Library<strong>

After being guided to the library by Sirius and pointed to the safe section which hadn't been cursed for protection, the group of teenagers and Servants started pulling down books about wizarding law. The Blacks had collected a surprising amount of law books, but since their activities probably got a few of their members in trouble over the years they would have to know how the law worked to looks for loopholes if bribery and intimidation wouldn't work. It had taken some looking through outdated and/or thick books, but the group finally managed to find the current laws concerning casting spells in front of muggles as well as using magic when the person was underage.

"Seems like a very clear case to me," Hermione commented as she poured over the book. "If the lives of the person in question and/or the people around them are in danger, even if they're muggles, then the person in question has full right to cast spells to protect their lives. It's the same thing for underage magic as well. You have full right to cast spells when you feel your life is in danger. There should be no way Fudge could win a trial even if he managed to charge you!"

"True, but you must also realize for that defence to work, the reasons must be ironclad or easily provable otherwise the prosecutors might feel it's just an excuse you are using to get out of trouble," Saber replied.

"Then all they have to do is examine the house that you appeared in," Ginny commented. "Didn't you say that you killed a Dementor? Unless someone covered that up too, it's body should still be there."

"Again, since Fudge seems to be going through all of this trouble, he may have covered it up or pretended he never saw it," Harry muttered bitterly. "Perkins' letter said he's sealed everything so that might mean the Wizengamot will never see it. Investigators may have moved the body already and it is rotting in storage somewhere."

"So we will have to construct our defence without it," Saber added.

"Well, didn't the letter say that they were only investigating because so much magic was used?" asked Ron. "I mean, they aren't sure if Harry did it in the first place."

"They aren't but I'm the only wizard they know of that lives there so Fudge is going to use it as an excuse to blame me," Harry sighed. "I can't really deny it since it was what allowed me to summon Saber. At best I can just say it was accidental magic since I did it without my wand. Of course, they'll want to know what was going on to make me let loose like that. That will lead to the Dementors."

"And then the dink in charge will say you're delusional or something since his ministry 'obviously' has control over the blasted things," Archer grumbled. "I hate politics. I'm more of a man of the people than of the monarchy."

"It's all a matter of who are among the people and who stands as the monarchy," Saber commented.

Conversation was suddenly halted when the pattering of footsteps alerted the group that they were not alone. Saber's head snapped in the direction of the noise through the stacks of books. Grabbing one of said books, he pushed his mana into it to transform the item into a weapon before tossing it clean over the shelves of books where it vanished from sight. However, there was a thud and then a yelp of pain before a crash followed. Archer and Saber were up in a flash to inspect what the source was while the teens followed, their curiosity arounsed.

Travelling around the shelves of books, Saber and Archer came across a short and pale creature. He had drooping pointed hears and a hooked noise. The only clothing he wore was some gray rags which were absolutely filthy and torn at the collar. Around him were a few books and what seemed to be a letter opener, a black feather quill, and a crystal inkwell. A sizable bump was already forming on his head with the book Saber threw next to him.

"Kreacher," Ron groaned.

"This is Kreacher?" asked Harry.

"Saber!" Hermione scolded, her sympathy for abused house-elves coming to the fore. "Why did you-?"

"What is your purpose here?" Saber spoke up, his stare bearing down on the woozy house-elf.

Kreacher's aged and gravelly voice groaned for a moment as he got his bearings back. He looked up and seemed ready to spout out one of his insults for the people which have taken up residence in his mistress' house. However, when he saw that it was Saber talking to him with Archer close behind his face grew from pasty to absolutely white. Scrambling to his feet, albeit a little wobbly thanks to the blow to the head, he began to speak.

"Kreacher…Kreacher be rescuing his mistresses things…Master Swordman, Master Bowman," the aged house-elf answered. "He be wanting to be protecting his mistress' things. Traitor son be taking it all away and breaking it. Kreacher must protect his mistress' property. Kreacher must be protecting it better than before now that mistress is really and truly gone."

Ron and Ginny were glancing at each other and back at Kreacher. They had never seen the house-elf be so polite before to anyone. Usually Kreacher would be grumbling under his breath and insulting everyone based off blood status just like Mrs. Black did. However, something about Saber and Archer seemed to put the elf on his best behaviour. Not that it wasn't a pleasant change, but it was just downright weird since the elf was always so cranky and rude.

"What kind of creature is he?" asked Archer, never seeing a House Elf before.

"Kreacher is a house-elf," said Harry.

"That thing is supposed to be an elf?" Archer questioned.

"House Elves are usually born to be servants of noble wizarding families," answered Harry, recalling Dobby. "Actually, the term 'slave' would be more appropriate considering how they're treated sometimes."

"And yet after its mistress is gone, it's still loyal," remarked Archer.

"It's barbaric and cruel," Hermione sniffed. "He's been mistreated, beaten, no doubt starved and all he has to look forward to is having his head mounted on a wall when he dies. He's a living and sentient person. He doesn't deserve this. He at least deserves to choose how he lives his life." Hermione made it no secret that she despised how house-elves were treated by wizarding society, actually believing them undereducated and brainwashed. Despite the fact that it was a biologically proven fact that house-elves enjoyed work, didn't like to be given clothes, loved their servitude, and despised being paid, Hermione was driven to ensure they got just those things. Many who knew of her crusade didn't think that she had any friends in the house-elf community of Hogwarts.

Saber merely kept his tone firm, but didn't seem to offer any sort of violence towards Kreacher, "And are these items dangerous? Do they have dark magic in them that will harm people? Are they able to kill people?"

"No Master Swordman!" Kreacher quickly denied, shaking his head in a manner Harry found eerily reminiscent of Dobby, the only house-elf that actually liked freedom and being paid. "They be old master and mistress' favourite things, they be! Books be old masters' private writing books! Private property of Kreacher's old master and mistress. Kreacher be wanting to save them for their memories."

Saber didn't show any sort of reaction to Kreacher's response even though the others felt different measures of pity for the elf. Nodding, Saber spoke, "Very well. You may keep them. If you are lying through…"

"Kreacher not lies to Master Swordman," Kreacher interrupted, understanding the threat. "Kreacher knows better than to lies to mighty hero."

"Be on your way then," Saber nodded, gesturing to the exit. Kreacher nodded enthusiastically end began collecting the items he had dropped into his arms before he headed for the exit. There was actually a smile on his gnarled face as he slipped through the door and into the halls.

"See?" asked Hermione of Ron, probably the one person who constantly reminded her of how much the house-elves enjoyed their current lives. "A little compassion, a little kindness and there's no need to be mean or beat on house-elves. Why can't more people see that?"

"You haven't been hearing his insults all the time," Ron muttered back. "He's only being polite 'cause he's afraid of Saber. Didn't you see him pale when he saw him?"

Kreacher had been terrified of the Black Knight and indeed looked like he wanted to flee when he saw the dark-armoured Servant. Although not many people had noticed, since Saber and then Archer had arrived Kreacher had been watching his step in case he caught their attention. Even Sirius was finding less reasons to become enraged with the rude elf.

"It's the armour that makes him look scary," snorted Archer. "Still, I liked it when he called me 'Master Bowman'. Has a nice ring to it."

"Quiet you," Hermione frowned.

"He has to be related to us," Grinny grinned, watching Archer's antics. "He just has to be."

Ron shrugged, appearing not to care much either way, "He'd be better than Percy."

* * *

><p><strong>Malfoy Manor-Hallways<strong>

Assassin travelled down the hallways of the manor her Master called home, eyeing the portraits of his ancestors. Eyeing all of them with their superior stares, their arrogance in believing that their bloodlines alone were what made them strong. She however didn't believe that and wondered if all of the men in the portraits were thieves as well. The female Hassan-I-Sabbah was in a somewhat sour mood. The presence of the thieves all over the place was always grinding on her nerves, but now it was getting worse. Her Master along with the Masters of Berserker, Rider, and Lancer were continuously plotting but never doing anything, making her feel that they were all talk. Rider was nowhere to be seen and Lancer was receiving glares from his Master, likely for some disagreement that they had. The lack of action was causing Assassin to get agitated.

Oh, and her Master's brat had been periodically stalking her. She had thought after threatening his life he would get the message and leave her alone. Instead, he spotted her skulking about and poking his head out from corners or using some mundane item or another to spy on her be it glass beads or mirrors he thought he'd clever hidden among furniture or artwork. Honestly, Assassin knew he was there the entire time, easily recognizing the magical observation trinkets and her trained senses pinpointing him when he tried to follow her with his sloppy and babyish idea of stealth. Obviously he was planning something in retaliation for her assault on him. Of course, he may have developed an obsession with her or something.

She knew how to deal with that though.

The spawn of a thief was following her even then as she eyed the portraits of his ancestors. He was obviously putting effort into it, but his spoiled upbringing and lack of training in anything physical beyond his magical abilities made it easy for her to hear him. Not from his footsteps though, since he had apparently charmed his shoes to make him weightless wherever he stepped. A cat wouldn't even have noticed if he stepped on its tail with those shoes. What made him stand out was his breath, the sounds his fingers made when he gripped the stone corners he hid behind. He was gripping them rather tightly, indicating a fair amount of emotion invested into his following her. Either he was looking for revenge, or he really was lusting for her. It didn't quite matter to her, having dealt with men who were driven by one or the other but the anticipation was something she found annoying.

"_Locomotor Mortis!_"

'_And there it is,_' Assassin thought amusedly to herself. The blast of magic struck her in the back, making her legs lock together. Without making a sound, she pitched forward and dropped to her front on the carpeted stone floor. Her eyes narrowed as she heard the son of the thief running down the hall before his foot landed between her shoulder blades, appearing to pin her down.

"Not so tough are you now?" Draco Malfoy's voice range as he stared down at the black-skinned woman who had dared threaten his life. He added extra pressure to the bitch's back just so he could enjoy seeing her beneath him for a moment longer. "You know, I just don't get why you're so bloody important to my father and the Dark Lord. You can't use magic, you actually use muggle arms, and all you do is lounge about! I don't care how important you are to us; you will know your place!" Draco raised his wand in preparation of casting the worst curses he could think of that he just researched for this sole event.

"I do know my place," the woman's voice replied, holding pause to Draco's rage. Wanting to hear her accept her humility, he decided to see what she had to say but was ready to curse her. "I am Servant Assassin. I have mastered the killing arts to a degree which are considered legendary. I have turned my body into a weapon the likes of which only a Noble Phantasm could defeat. Did you honestly think a little boy holding my legs shut can stop me?"

What Draco had misunderstood about the leg-locker curse was that it didn't restrict leg motion completely. What the curse would do was force a person's leg to stick to each other with absolutely nothing less than an anti-curse would get rid of it as far as modern wizarding society was concerned. However, it didn't stop movement in the knees or the hips. It was a fact that Assassin had tested as she fell and was now going to take advantage. With an agility and flexibility rarely seen, Assassin kicked her legs up and over her back before smacking Draco in his face. Draco stumbled backwards, reeling with pain. Assassin didn't stop there as she hefted her body up with her hands before spinning on her palms and slamming her legs into Draco's. The impact knocked the Malfoy heir onto his back with a loud thud, but he couldn't get up before Assassin lifted herself up with her palms on the floor yet again before dropping the weight of her legs onto Draco's chest, knocking the wind from his lungs. Looking somewhat like she was reclining on her side curled up, Assassin drew one of her daggers and held it at Draco's neck. The blonde boy paled significantly.

"Now little boy," she frowned. "If you undo this ridiculous spell now, I may let you leave with all of your fingers attached."

"M-my father…" Draco gasped out.

"Does it look like I care what your father thinks?" asked Assassin.

"B-but I can undo the curse! No one else will!" Draco snapped back.

Assassin snorted in amusement and looked down at her legs. She could feel the foreign prana wrapped around her limbs and quickly flooded her own to combat it. The boy's magic gave off a brief fight, for all of one second before her own magic power destroyed it. After doing such, she took a moment to slowly flex her freed legs. The dawning horror on the boy's face was just delicious.

"I could have done that at any moment," Assassin replied. "I just thought it would be amusing to let you think you actually had a chance."

Draco's eyes widened with shock. She had undone the curse! It was unheard of to actually break the curse without the counter-curse!

"Now, what do I do with you…?" cooed Assasin as she pressed her dagger against Draco's cheek. "How about I carve my signature onto your cheek for everyone to see? Or…?" She slid the dagger's tip down to his nether regions. "Maybe I should just have your bloodline end with you?" She slid it back up, stopping at his chest, "Or make you watch as I carve your heart out of your chest?" Now Draco was trembling. The edge of the dagger was brought back up to his throat. "Or I could just make sure you never make a sound again." She enjoyed putting fear in her victims. She then whispered into his ear, "Do not cross me, boy. At any moment I could kill you and whatever magic you use on me will be useless. You're dependant on that stick of yours while I can kill anyone with just my bare hands. Be warned. Oh, and sleep with one eye open from now on. I might just come back to finish things."

Pulling herself up to her feet, she began walking away from the trembling and bruised boy. Assassin knew she really should have killed him and spared her Master's family the future shame, but that would just make things messy and probably would have made her stay that much more unpleasant. Besides, she hadn't had something to play with for quite some time.

Draco watched Assassin leave with fear, shame, and relief washing over him. Once again she bested him and made him fear for his life! Him! A proud wizard and heir of the Malfoy family! She was just some freakish muggle! How was she able to break the curse? How was she able to beat him so swiftly? How? How? HOW?-!

It would be some time before Draco remembered that he had been holding his wand during the entire confrontation…and that he almost wet himself.

* * *

><p><strong>#12 Grimmauld Place—Drawing Room<strong>

The group of four teenagers and two Servants had made good time in strategizing for Harry's interrogation/trial. The teenagers had a small bit of fun thinking up ways Fudge may have been paranoid enough to try and stack the odds in his favour. Of course, it had to end when Molly Weasley managed to track them down and set to work on the terrifying drawing room. Within it, Saber and Archer set to work on the magical trinkets since they were both highly resistant to magic and as such the cursed items wouldn't be able to hurt them, if only a scratch or two. Whenever a an item would try to attack the Servants be it with an annoying function or something that seemed pretty damn scary be it black fog electricity, or even attempts at poisoning, nothing would work and both Servants would just destroy the things. In Archer's case, he would destroy the items by crushing them with his bow. Saber on the other hand, just take something, transform it, and crush the item in question. Sometimes there would be a loud blast in retaliation from the destroyed object, but it didn't seem to bother the two.

Harry, Hermione, Ginny, Ron, and the Twins were busy cleaning everything else. Ron and Harry were cleaning the furniture while Ginny and Hermione were cleaning up the trash. Fred and George were of course getting the doxies and their eggs out again, secretly harvesting them for heaven knew what at the same time. Of course, they weren't just cleaning, but talking about ways Harry might be able to beat the interrogation, or in the twins' case stick it to Fudge.

"You know Harry, you're probably going to need some clothes to make yourself presentable," said Archer, voicing one of his ideas. "This Fudge person will probably expect to see a child but with the right clothes and stance, you'll stand as an equal to him and someone he can't crush."

"With clothes?" Harry asked sceptically.

"There's this saying I heard, I think it's 'the right clothes that make the man' or something like that." Archer really didn't have a problem with Saber's Master. To be honest he liked the kid. He wanted to fight Saber, really, but his own Master was against it. That just meant he had to find other ways to pass the time, like playing pranks for instance. "Just look him in the eye, don't flinch, and stand straight. Don't back down and don't let him get the upper hand."

"He's got a point," Fred agreed.

"Too right, brother of mine," George nodded, "It's all in the presentation. If something looks like a prank, then people are going to void it like the plague. If it doesn't though, a sucker is going to trigger it in no time."

"Just like how I got the two of you in that booby trap outside your room," Archer grinned. The twins grunted and growled like stereotypical villains, gesturing about revenge and such matters. It only served to make Archer laugh as he smashed a set of tea tongs which tried to bite him.

"That is a good idea Harry," Hermione nodded. "We should talk to Mrs. Weasley and see if we can't make a trip down Diagon Alley to get you something respectable."

"Maybe," Harry shrugged. While he appreciated all of the advice he had been given, he was hoping for at least a little time he could just sit back and NOT think about being put on trial under the false pretence of an investigation. Part of him just wished that he'd get a time for the interview already so he could just get it over with already.

Ask and ye shall receive…

As the group was busy with their chores, the door to the drawing room opened as Shacklebolt and Tonks entered the room, catching everyone's attention. Tonks of course gave a smile and a wave of greeting, "Wotcher Harry. Guess what time it is."

"Don't tell me…" Harry frowned.

"Afraid so," Shacklebolt nodded. "Madam Bones has asked us to bring in Harry for questioning about the magical discharge near your home."

"An auror escort?" Hermione blinked. "Seems kind of extreme for something like using magic in front of a muggle."

"Well, Amelia's something of a shrewd woman," Shacklebolt grinned. "She knows that even with the smear campaign the Prophet's on, Harry's still a high profile figure so he is going to need an escort. Conveniently she picked me and Tonks to take care of it too. The woman knows more than she lets on."

"I'm surprised that this Fudge guy hasn't tried to muck things up," Archer commented.

"Who says he hasn't?" Tonks sighed. Out of all of the adults, only she and Sirius seemed to be more than a little trusting of Archer and Saber. Still, that wasn't at one hundred percent just yet. "Since this whole thing falls into Madam Bones' department, she decides how it gets dealt with. She's been trying to get Harry in sooner, but Fudge has been weighing her down with a lot of paperwork and other cases. He's also been trying to pressure us aurors into convincing her to close the case without interviewing him, preferably with a criminal charge being handed out."

Saber's fists clenched, causing the two aurors to tense slightly. Both knew from experience that once Saber went after something, it didn't seem that anything could stop him. Of course, he was rather protective of Harry and cared for his well-being. Both would have called what Fudge was attempting an assault on his person. They feared that if Fudge started mouthing off in one of his bouts of paranoia, Saber might attack for insulting Harry's honour. With how he just attacked Snape for threatening Harry, that was certainly guaranteed as the black knight took his duties as a Servant very seriously and he would strike down any of his Master's enemies as his sword and shield.

"Uhh, shall we get a move on then?" asked Tonks tensely, seeing Saber's irritation. "You coming with us Saber?"

"I go where my Master goes," Saber replied, standing up.

"Right," Shacklebolt nodded. "Then we'd better get going before Fudge tries anything else. There's a Ministry car waiting outside."

So with a chorus of 'good luck' and 'see you later,' Tonks and Shacklebolt brought Harry outside to a regular looking car with Saber of course in the rear. Tonks and Shacklebolt took the front while Saber and Harry sat in the rear. The car was incredibly room for its size and easily fit Saber's bulk. Shacklebolt drove and despite his wizarding roots, seemed to know exactly what he was doing, even though Tonks had to remind him about traffic lights once or twice.

Harry didn't ask too many questions about where he was going, preferring to try and remember all of the tips and ideas that he and the others had thought of during their strategy meeting so to proclaim his innocence. He didn't quite know about how Amelia Bones saw things, but he knew that Fudge would be liable to do anything to discredit him. He was sure to try and turn it from a simple interview or interrogation in the matter into a full blown trial with criminal charges landing on Harry's lap. Since he had been atttempting to bog Amelia down with other things, Harry could guess that Fudge would be scheming something.

The trip continued down into Whitehall where Shacklebolt found a prime parking space among cars similar to the one they were using and looked around at the people roaming about. He then looked back at Saber, who of course would be sticking out like a sore thumb if he walked into that, "Are you sure I can't convince you to remove your armour?"

"It's all right," Harry quickly replied for Saber. "I have it covered." Harry concentrated for a moment and soon Saber vanished into his astralized form, only to be seen by Harry and other Servants.

"Wicked!" Tonks blinked. She seemed to be saying that a lot when it came to Saber and Archer.

The four exited the car and travelled across the street to a telephone booth. Shacklebolt gestured everyone inside and crammed himself within as well. Oddly enough, despite being small there was a fair bit of breathing room for everyone. Everyone was happy that Saber was intangible at the time since they didn't want to try and survive with the edges of his armour. Shackleblt shifted himself to the telephone and picked it up before dialling the numbers 6, 2, 4, 4, 2. Immediately, there was a response.

"_Hello, and welcome to the Ministry of Magic. Please state your names and purpose for your visit._" An operator's voice intoned pleasantly.

"Aurors Kingsley Shacklebolt and Nymphandora Tonks escorting Harry Potter to an interview with Amelia Bones,_" _Shacklebolt replied into the receiver.

In response, three badges slipped out of the phone where spare change would normally come from. All three of them were marked with the three magi's names, but the two for Tonks and Shacklebolt marked them as 'escorts' while Harry's was marked with 'interviewee.'

"_Please wear these for the duration of your visit. Thank-you for visiting the Ministry and Magic and have a nice day!_" the happy voice greeted before the line went dead.

The entire booth trembled for a moment before Harry nearly gasped at seeing that they were sinking into the ground. He had heard about functions like this in old spy shows and such, but he hadn't expected to see it in action in real life. Considering his life since he turned eleven though, he shouldn't have been too surprised about it. Tonks and Shacklebolt considered it an everyday thing while Saber was looking about, preparing for any kind of threat that may arise.

Eventually the lift came to a stop and the four of them were able to leave. They all stepped out into a large atrium which had many people milling about, heading to lifts, going through other entrances or exits. Part of the decoration was a large gold statues of a witch, wizard, goblin, and house-elf, all spraying water in a decorative fountain. In all, it was a pleasant enough place, though it felt at least a little intimidating in Harry's mind, considering what he was doing there.

"_At least they have taste in architecture,_" Saber's voice echoed from his astralized body.

"This way Harry," Tonks gestured to the teen. "Don't want to be late."

Harry dutifully followed the pair, not wanting to get lost in the mass of people. They approached what looked like a front desk where a bored wizard was reading through a magazine. As they got closer, the wizard noticed them and raised a hand in greeting, "'Lo Tonks, Shack."

"Hello Eric," Shacklebolt nodded. "Just here to escort Mr. Potter to Madame Bones' office."

"I won't keep you long then," the bored wizard nodded before he looked to Harry. "Wand please."

Harry drew out his wand and handed it over to the man. Taking the stick of holly, the wizard placed it on what looked like a brass scale. After a moment, a slip of paper came out and was picked up. Taking the wand, the wizard passed the paper over the Harry, "Eleven inches, Holly with a phoenix feather core. Give this paper to me on your way out and I'll hand your wand back."

"Um…thanks," Harry nodded, taking the paper.

Shacklebolt and Tonks took Harry towards one of the lifts that were littered around the atrium. Managing to snag one, the three magi and one astralized Servant boarded on before Tonks hit one of the buttons. The lift quickly activated with pleasant elevator music sounding off in attempts to amuse the passengers, but came off more as annoying than anything else. It felt like a long elevator ride, but it ended soon enough with the door opening.

"_Level 2— Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Please watch your step._" A female voice chimed as the group left the lift.

Harry was greeted by the sight of several cubicle-like offices. Wizards and witches who all looked rather intimidating in some form or another were walking all over the place, answering floos, writing reports, or delivering papers. Above everyone's heads were paper airplanes which were flying all over the area and quite obviously charmed to head somewhere specific. In all, it reminded Harry of some of the crime dramas he had managed to watch when the Dursleys weren't home and the office of the characters were busy with a crimewave or something.

"Hopefully Amelia's in so we can get this over with," Shacklebolt sighed as he and Tonks began guiding Harry through the sea of chaos.

Avoiding being hit by paper airplanes and not running into travelling aurors made for an interesting experience. More than once they had to stop immediately to avoid bumping into someone who looked like they would hex you on the spot or duck to avoid getting a plane to the head. However, as they began heading towards what seemed to be actual offices one of the paper airplanes dove out of the mass straight at Shacklebolt. Rather than impact against him, it unfolded into a sheet of paper for his waiting hands. The auror took a hold of it before his eyes winded in shock.

"Damn!" he hissed before he turned back to the others. "Tonks, Harry, back to the lift. Now!"

"What?" Tonks blinked. "Why? We're already here."

"Fudge's moved the interview down to a courtroom for the whole Wizengamot to listen to," Shacklebolt replied, ushering his comrade and the teenager back to where the lifts were. "Claims it'll be so there can be objectivity in numbers than in just one person hearing it.

"What?-!" Tonks gaped. "That's bullshite! He's trying to turn this whole thing into a trial! He can't do that!"

"Normally no, but he's managed to make it sound like a good enough idea for most of the members to agree," Shacklebolt sighed. "Worst of all, it's in courtroom ten."

"…you're joking, right?" Tonks gasped. "That's only for the worst criminal trials though!"

"What?-!" Harry cried out in shock. Saber was tense and looked like he was getting ready to hit something.

"I can't believe Fudge would go this far to try and discredit you," Shacklebolt sighed. "Come on. We've got to get to level ten. The lifts only go to level nine so best be ready for some running. Now let's go!"

Kingsley hustled everyone to the lifts and got them on board before hitting the ninth button on the panel. The lift activated like before, but now the music was even more grating now that everyone was on edge. It felt like forever before the lift stopped and opened, but they were out of there so fast they didn't hear what department they were in. Harry didn't even take the time to look before the group found a staircase that lead down. Hustling down the stone steps, they emptied out into a rather dark and intimidating basement-like place. Shacklebolt had the others follow him until they reached a set of double doors with a brass number ten attached to the wall above it.

"Here's where we stop," Shacklebolt sighed. "This is courtroom ten. Harry, the Wizengamot is on the other side. Fudge is no doubt going to try and run the show and railroad you into admitting something you didn't do. So pay attention, think about your answers, and don't let anyone there intimidate you. Remember, this is supposed to be an interview not a trial. Don't let them treat it as such."

"Right," Harry nodded, feeling a hole yawning in his gut.

"Saber…if you're here, keep an eye on him," Tonks sighed, hoping that the black knight was still around.

"_I shall,_" Saber nodded despite knowing that Tonks couldn't hear him.

Shacklebolt and Tonks nodded to one another before they opened the doors to the courtroom, and Harry entered. He found himself looking at a round circular room which only had a chair in the middle of an open floor with wooden dividers and several rows of seats. Every one of those seats were filled with people wearing judicial robes and stern looks on their faces. At the front of the room and directly in front of the chair in the centre was the man Harry recognized as Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic and apparently someone who wanted deathly sure Harry was seen as some kind of raving lunatic. Next to him on either side was a pudgy toad-like woman who had pink poking out of her sleeves and Percy Weasley, whom did not seem all that sympathetic to Harry and was instead watching just as sternly as the others. In contrast to them, Fudge looked like he had swallowed a lemon. However, he decided to speak.

"You're late Mr. Potter," he frowned.

"A-apologies," Harry replied as he began walking towards the chair. "I was not alerted to a specific time which I had to be here. I was just told that Madam Bones wished to speak to me about the investigation and came as quickly as I could."

"No excuses Mr. Potter," Fudge snorted back. "Now take your seat."

Harry did so, and waited for the interview to begin. He honestly felt like he was being put on trial and no doubt Fudge was going to try and enforce that in order to make Harry slip up and admit to something he could be charged with. Glancing to his left, he spotted Saber standing next to him in his astral form. The knight was glaring holes into the Minister and from the way Fudge shuffled in his seat, it seemed like he could feel it.

To the corner, a woman with red hair and a monocle seemed like she was about to speak, but Fudge swiftly interrupted her and opened his mouth, "Are you Harry James Potter? Resident of #4 Privet Drive in Little Winging?"

Harry opened his mouth to reply, but then heard Saber's voice, "_Don't answer that. Repeat what I say._"

To the Wizengamot, it seemed that Harry was collecting himself and/or dispelling his nerves. Fudge on the other hand started to look more and more impatient and about to snap. However, before he could try and demand an answer, Harry began to speak.

"Minister Fudge, since I was told that I am only here for an interview concerning an investigation I was led to believe that Madam Amelia Bones was to interview me as head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Unless she is the one tells me that you are the one leading the interview for the Wizengamot, I will answer questions from her and only her on the grounds that this affair falls directly into her jurisdiction and no one else's."

Murmurs spread through the collected people as Fudge's face turned to a beetroot red, "Listen here boy! I-!"

"Mr. Potter is correct! This interview is being conducted by the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and as such it falls to me to conduct it!" called the redheaded woman with the monocle, standing up and silencing the group. Fudge immediately fumed in his seat, knowing that for such a minor affair, the Minister of Magic didn't have as much pull as he would have liked. It was an investigative interview and not a trial and as such, Amelia Bones did have the authority to call the shots for the time being. Sourly, he relented and slumped into his seat with the equally sour-looking toad woman.

"Now then," the red-haired woman sighed, turning to Harry. "Mr. Potter, I am Amelia Bones. I will be the one conducting this interview. The Wizengamot are here to ensure objectivity as well fielding any other questions which they feel to be pertinent for this investigation. Is this acceptable?"

Harry glanced at Saber and saw the knight nod, "Yes ma'am."

"Good," the woman nodded before she took her seat and retrieved a scroll of parchment. "Now then, for the record. Are you Harry James Potter who resides in #4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging?"

"Yes Ma'am,"

"Good," Ms. Bones nodded as she nodded at Percy who began taking notes, obviously a scribe of the proceedings. "Now Mr. Potter, my department is investigation an incident which occurred in your neighbourhood at #16 Privet drive. The incident in question was a large blast of magical power which caused numerous electronic muggle devices to go out as well as risk revealing magic to a number of nearby muggles. Since you are the only known wizard in the area, you understand why we look to you first."

"I understand Ma'am," Harry nodded.

"Then please give us your account of what you were doing that night," prompted Ms. Bones.

"Well," Harry began, Saber once again prompting him. "I was with my cousin Dudley Dursley at the time. Both of us were having an argument since he and his family don't like magic and thus me by extension. However, we were then attacked by a pair of dark creatures. Their presence caused my cousin to lose his sight in their presence and my own mental facilities to become slightly compromised from influx of images their presence was invoking. So I took my cousin and we fled for our lives and we came to the house in which the event took place-"

"So you ADMIT to casting the spell!" Fudge declared, glee beginning to appear on his face.

"If you'd let me FINISH Minister, you will receive the answer to that question," Harry retorted. Turning his gaze from the now confident Minister back to Ms. Bones, Harry continued. "Dudley was the one that kicked the door open and I blocked it with some of the boxes that were lying about. I set my cousin down and went to shut the windows to prevent the creatures from getting inside. I managed to get some of the windows closed, but the creatures got in through the chimney. I would have cast a spell, but when I tried to back away from the creature my foot caught on something and I fell backwards. The creature then approached me and I remember willing to do just about anything to get away, and then there was a blast of light."

Ms. Bones nodded as she made some of her own notes while others in the group muttered to one another again. Fudge looked like he refused to believe a word of it while Percy just kept writing his notes. The toad woman seemed to be scowling though.

"What happened next?" asked Ms. Bones.

"Well, after the blast of light ended, both of the creatures were gone and there was a mass of black rags pinned to the wall with a fire poker," Harry continued. "Since both creatures were gone, I got my cousin, whose sight was beginning to return but he was deathly pale, and went to leave. That's where we met Arabella Fig, a squib. She helped us get back to our residence and that night I received a notice of the investigation."

Ms. Bones nodded again as she made more notes. Despite Fudge trying to keep the details quiet from the world at large, she was privy to the notes of the investigation. They had discovered a mass of decaying rags stuck to a wall with a fire poker. Some boxes were tipped over and windows closed while others were open though why there were open windows in an empty house was beyond her. The chimney even looked like something had crammed its way through. So far, it seemed that the story was matching with what her investigators had found.

"What did these creatures look like?" asked a member of the Wizengamot.

"Thin, but large, black, covered in black rags, I couldn't see too much of them because of the robes," Harry answered.

"You sound like you're describing a Dementor," the toad-like woman commented. Saber looked at her and saw a glint in her eyes that reminded him of an animal that had their prey in sight. Saber recognized a ploy when he saw one. The woman was trying to get Harry to admit that he was attacked by Dementors, which Fudge could deny and use to make Harry look like a liar. Leaning down, the knight spoke to his Master again.

"Could have been. They made me feel awful enough," Harry shrugged. The toad woman's eyes began to glint as a smile began to appear. "But the Ministry has control over the Dementors as far as I know so it couldn't have been them. I figured they were something or someone pretending to be Dementors or heaven forbid rouge Dementors."

"Preposterous! The Ministy has complete control over the Dementors!" snapped Fudge.

"A friend of mine said 'you get weirdos in every breed'," Harry answered, catching on to Saber's idea. "I don't see why Dementors are any different to that statement. If there's anyone who is capable of leaving and entering Azkaban without anyone noticing, it would be the ones who know it best, the guards."

"Why should we believe a delusional child like you?" sniffed the toad-woman. Harry's temper began to rise at the woman's dismissive attitude, but Saber's voice in his ear kept him concentrating on something else.

"It doesn't matter if you believe me or not," he spoke. "You have evidence that something or someone, be it a Dementor or someone who was pretending to be one is out there with the kinds of capabilities Dementors have. The point is that they are out there and need to be tracked down. You don't have to take my word for it. Let the evidence speak for itself."

"Wise words Mr. Potter," Ms. Bones nodded as she rolled up her parchment. "We do have the remains of the cloak you mentioned in your statement. We're having experts search them for magical residue and the like. If they're charmed, jinxed, specialty made, or truly do belong to a Dementor then we'll know about it."

Many people looked around the room, rather pale at the thought of Dementors going rouge. For years they were the trusted guards of Azkaban and the thought of them roaming the countryside was a horrible thought to begin with. Many would have dismissed it as crazy talk, but someone using black cloaks and supposedly using their powers was a certainly frightening idea. They thought it more likely someone was imitating Dementors, but the fear was still there.

Rolling up her scroll, Ms. Bones looked to Harry, "Your information has been helpful Mr. Potter and you've given us some ideas as to where to look next. If the Wizengamot has no further questions-"

"You can't honestly be preparing to investigate a delusional boy's ramblings!" cried Fudge, seeing his apparent plot to try and charge Harry with something falling apart. "He openly admitted to using magic in front of a muggle! We have to punish him!"

"Here, here," the toad-like woman nodded. "Expulsion from Hogwarts seems appropriate."

"Mr. Potter admitted to unleashing a blast of accidental magic, which collaborates perfectly with the information my investigators collected from the scene!" Ms. Bones snapped sharply. "He felt his life was in danger which certainly accounts for the sheer amount that was given off! His whole story explains all of the evidence we found at the scene and not one piece appears to have been made up or falsified! He has offered very good means of proving his claims true or false and as the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, I must investigate these claims no matter how unreliable people claim the witness is!"

Fudge and his toady seemed cowed and certainly didn't have any wriggle room. Despite Fudge's smear campaign there was actually very little evidence to prove Harry was unstable aside from obviously biased testimony from Slytherin students from old Rita Skeeter articles and many people didn't really believe Rita was the most honest reporter they ever met despite others taking her word as gospel. The rest was reports which were partially omitted and edited at Fudge's demand. So disregarding Harry as delusional officially was a sketchy proposition at best. Fudge had no official ground to stand on for that.

"Seeing as there's no REAL objections to Mr. Potter's answers, I deem him able to leave and to be ready should he be required to give further statements," Ms. Bones nodded. She then turned to Harry. "You may leave now Mr. Potter."

"Thank-you Madam Bones," Harry nodded, feeling relief pool into his chest.

Harry got up from the chair and headed out of the room as fast as politeness allowed, not wanting to spend a moment longer in the room. Reaching the door, he quickly opened it and entered the hallway where Shacklebolt and Tonks were waiting.

"Harry!" the pink-haired witch gasped. She and Shacklebolt reached Harry to see how the boy had fared. "So, how'd it go?"

"Ms. Bones seemed to find my story acceptable," Harry smiled. "She's let me go but told me to stick around in case she needs to talk to me again. Fudge tried to play the 'he's delusional' trick, but since there wasn't any evidence of it no one could really back him without looking biased."

"At least most of the Wizengamot have professional integrity," Shacklebolt sighed. "Now what do you say we get you back home?"

"Sounds good to me," Harry grinned.

* * *

><p><strong>Whitehall<strong>

The streets of Whitehall were in chaos. However, it wasn't because of some kind of terrorist attack or major accident was occurring. People on the sidewalks were gaping openly as what they were seeing. Police officers were calling in what they saw while cars were swerving off of their chosen paths to avoid what was coming.

An actual hooded man on horseback was riding down the middle of the road without a care in the world.

Rider has come to the city under orders from his Master. Supposedly in the area he was racing through was a target which his Master wanted eliminated, with extreme prejudice. Rider was just happy to be out of the decaying mansion of those mindless sheep. The opportunity to kill something always got Rider's blood boiling and he would savour his next kill. The boy Rider was to kill was apparently special in some way. A strong magi in the making or something along those lines.

Leaping over a police car which tried to stop him, Rider continued closer to the destination which he was told the boy would come from.

Why would he be in a telephone booth at that exact time though, Rider wasn't sure if he cared enough to find out.

* * *

><p><strong>Whitehall—Ministry Entrance<strong>

Harry, Shacklebolt, Tonks, and Saber emerged from the secret entrance to the Ministry of Magic at a much more light-hearted than they were going in. Harry was essentially free for the time being unless something happened. He managed to keep Saber a secret and still tell his side of the story. All in all, he felt completely relieved to be free of Fudge's little scheme to try and convict him.

"I don't know about you, but today's been stressful enough and I wasn't even the one giving an interview!" Tonks grinned as she stretched her arms.

"Imagine being where I was," Harry grumbled.

"Rather not," was the metamorphmagus' reply.

"Come on," Shacklebolt sighed. "Let's get back before everyone dies of anticipation."

The three Magi and one Servant headed for the Ministry car they used to get there. As they headed for the street where they parked the car at the side, Harry began to feel a strange sensation. It wasn't in his head like he expected most days, but down in his arm. Glancing down at his hand, he saw the two remaining Command Spells were beginning to glow and become warm. Harry's eyes grew as he realized that the sensation meant. Another Servant was approaching.

"What the bloody hell is that?" Tonks' voice cried out, snapping Harry from his shock.

'That' was the sheer amount of screaming, people running, and car crashes sounding off down the street. The three wizards watched in morbid curiosity, but it quickly died when the source of the commotion came riding around the corner on a black steed.

"_Rider!_" Saber's voice gasped out.

The black horse came racing at unbelievable speeds for an animal its size. Upon coming into view, Rider seemed to home in on the three magi as he turned his horse to a direct path towards the trio. Nothing seemed to stop the steed despite the crowded road as he actually leaped over the parked cars before landing on the sidewalks and racing towards the trio. Reaching into his cloak, he retrieved a colonial era sabre which gleamed in the sun. Racing closer, he reared back for a slash…

"DOWN!" Saber bellowed, materializing and pushing the trio to the ground…

SHNK!

Rider raced past, leaving the trio unharmed as they quite suddenly got acquainted with the sidewalk. Looking up, the magi felt their eyes widening as Rider kept going on but a nearby lamp post that had been in his way suddenly feel down and crashed loudly against the concrete.

"Bloody hell…" Tonks gaped.

Rider cursed under his breath and quickly turned his steed around. Looking to the boy, he saw that his eyes hadn't been deceiving him. A Servant had saved the three of them from his blade! It seemed that the boy was considered threatening for a good reason. If Rider didn't miss his guess, he was dealing with Servant Saber too.

How exciting!

"Freeze!" Rider's attention turned to a particularly brave policeman who was holding a weapon up at him, practically standing right next to his steed.

Rider snorted at the stupidity of some people. Gripping his sword, he moved at a speed that the officer couldn't hope to match and suddenly the man could look down and see the inside of his own neck while felt much lighter at the same time.

"Oh my God!" Tonks gasped, her hands covering her mouth in disgust and horror.

Before dozens of horrified people as well as the three magi, Rider watched the head of the officer fly up as the body dropped to the ground with blood bursting from the stump like a high pressure hose unleashing water. As the officer's head was taken hold of by gravity, Rider held out his hand and caught the head like an expert. He then reached for a bag hanging from the saddle and dropped his new trophy into it, making another bulge in the fabric.

Harry watched in horror at what he had just seen. Not even Voldemort's revival in the previous year had been as shocking as this. He was pretty sure that his heart was up in his throat where it had promptly stopped. He hadn't seen senseless slaughter before, just senseless killing like what Wormtail had done to Cedric. Harry was powerless to save Cedric then and now he was too late to help that policeman. Harry knew what was going on and he still hadn't been able to do anything.

Not anymore…

"Saber…" Harry growled. "Take. Him. Down!"

"Yes, Master," Saber's voice replied, echoing just as darkly as Harry's.

Saber got to his feet and charged towards Rider at his usual rapid pace. As he reached the downed lamp post though, he grabbed the item and lifted it up before adjusting his weight to hold it. From where his hands were gripping the steel, purple veins spread through the entire object and transformed it into a weapon akin to a giant mace.

Rider looked up and saw Saber coming at him with the mace. Rather than be intimidated at the sight of the Black Knight holding such a large weapon, Rider began to feel excited. This was what he'd been waiting for since his calling. He would've done battle with the other Servants that had been called alongside him but his Master objected to it. Each passing moment was agitating. Battle was the true calling for a Servant and he was going to have his chance against Saber of all people.

Brandishing his blade, Rider rushed at Saber on horseback as their weapons collided. An explosion of sparks erupted as both weapons came into contact. It was like a jousting match with two combatants charging with one single strike determining the victor. However, unlike jousting, this was a fight to the death! Saber swung his improvised weapon like an expert, but it clashed against Rider's blade with the force of a mountain. However, Rider was very much capable of dealing with the blows thanks to the fact that both their weapons were Noble Phantasms, and Rider's likely had a higher rank tham the improvised one Saber held.

Saber knew he had a disadvantage against Rider at the moment since the enemy Servant was on his steed while Saber was on his own two feet. He may have had the skill of a master with the weapon he had in his own two hands, but even a master could be defeated while holding his most powerful weapon when the situation was against him. He had to quickly move things to his advantage and quickly or else more allied blood was going to be spilled.

Parrying another strike from Rider, Saber leaped back and began to pump more of his prana into the weapon. Soon the veins began to glow with a dangerous intensity, transforming the item from a Noble Phantasm, into a Broken Phantasm. Hefting the lamp post over his shoulder, Saber launched it directly at Rider. On a bulky horse and the item coming at him directly, the beast had no chance of dodging and neither did its master. The lamppost exploded into a purple blast, turning the horse into black smoke as Rider was hurled at a car, which he smashed the roof of when he hit.

Saber clenched his fists and rushed at Rider, leaping high with his fist drawn. Rider saw him and rolled away just in time before Saber came down, smashing his fist into the roof of the car, caving it in further and shattering the windows in the process. Staring at Rider, who was still with blade, Saber grimaced and dodged before the steel blade could hit him. He needed a weapon and he needed to find one, post haste.

Suddenly, an arrow landed at Rider's feet. Saber blinked and then covered his eyes as the arrow exploded, throwing Rider backwards. "Archer," Saber identified as the bowman jumped down from atop a newsstand, holding his bow. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, me? My Master asked me to help keep an eye on her friend, that Master of yours," said Archer. He whistled as he saw Rider. "So, another Servant, huh?"

"This opponent is mine," said Saber. "Don't get in my way."

Archer shrugged but then pulled out a dagger he had holstered at his hip before tossing it to Saber, the black knight easily capturing it. "Use that," said Archer, "But I expect you to return it."

"Why are you helping me?" asked Saber.

"So I can fight you later," said Archer. "And I can't do that if you get killed here, Saber."

Saber found that as good a reason as any for one Servant to help another. Flooding his prana into the weapon, he became a master of it in an instant. Clutching his new weapon, he charged at Rider once again, this time their battle happening in the middle of the street as drivers swerved to get out of their way or abandoned their cars so to prevent getting caught in the crossfire. Rider's slashes cut through plenty of things like butter while Saber's thrusts punctured the abandoned cars like bullet holes. The blades met continuously with blasts of sparks, indicating the ferocity that the two were going at one another.

The battle raged in Harry's eyes, but he didn't move. He wanted to see it through and see that Rider was stopped before he killed another innocent person. Tonks and Shacklebolt were likewise entranced by the battle between Rider and Saber. Had they saw the fight between Archer and Saber, they may have been slightly more numb to the action but this wasn't the case. They couldn't help but gape at what was going on.

Saber thrust forward with several raid strikes which would have made a target look like a gunshot victim. Rider managed to get away from the attach, but he knew that unless he wanted to risk opening his back to Saber and an open target to Archer, he wouldn't be able to reach his target as he was. Using his Noble Phantasm would likewise leave him open for attack from Saber as well. As much as he hated it, he only had one true path ahead of him.

Rearing his head back as if taking a breath, Rider unleashed a powerful blast of black smoke from his hood, blinding Saber. The black knight couldn't even get his bearings back before something heavy hit him and knocked him aside, denting a car door. As the smoke cleared, Saber saw the retreating back of Rider and his horse running off down the street.

"_This war will be most amusing Saber!_" Rider announced to the knight. "_I look forward to facing you again!_"

With that Rider was gone, vanishing into the maze of buildings that was London.

Archer scoffed as he watched Rider retreat, "Coward."

"Saber!" Harry called as he ran to his Servant. "Are you okay?"

"I am fine, Master," replied the Black Knight. "It will take more than that to take me down."

"You got nothing to worry, kid," added Archer. "There's a reason why the Saber Class is said to be one of the strongest, if not the most balanced."

Harry was just relieved that Rider had gone, though it didn't get rid of the feeling he had when he saw Rider kill. He was also glad that Saber wasn't too badly injured. The black knight may have considered himself Harry's Servant but The-Boy-Who-Lives saw a friend.

Archer calmly approached the black knight, his bow having vanished again and with a small grin on his face. Saber looked to the dagger in his hand and returned to Archer, allowing it to transform back to normal, "My thanks."

"Meh, it was worth it," Archer shrugged. "Besides, my Master wouldn't let me hear the end of it if I didn't help."

"Harry!"

Tonks and Shacklebolt dashed up to their charge and the two Servants. Both were still quite stunned about what they had seen, but it wasn't forcing them into immobility anymore. Shacklebolt seemed to be somewhat lost for words while. Tonks on the other hand, whose hair was matching her flushed cheeks.

"That was totally wicked!" she gasped before looking around. "But…I think we'd better get our arses out of here before obliviator squads show up or something."

"Right," Harry agreed.

The group quickly began making their way to their Ministry Car while the chaos of the situation was left behind.

* * *

><p><strong>Malfoy Manor<strong>

Rider reached the residence of his Master and the others just as the sun was beginning to dip closer to the horizon. Dismissing his steed into the black smoke again, he began to approach the manor so to report back to his Master the information he had discovered that day. As he entered the main hall, he spotted his own Master waiting there for him at a nearby table. From the way one of those elves were holding a tea set for him, he had likely been there for a while.

"I trust you completed your mission?" asked Lars expectantly.

"_No,_" Rider replied as he headed to a spot where he could relax.

Lars almost choked on his next sip of tea, "W-What?-!" he rounded on Rider. "You mean to tell me you couldn't kill one schoolboy?-!"

"_You neglected to tell me that he had a Servant with him,_" Rider retorted, glancing back at his Master. "_Servant Saber at that._"

"W-what?-!" Lars cried, possibly louder than before.

"_And it seems that he has struck an alliance with Servant Archer,_" Rider finished.

"WHAT?-!" Lars screeched.

"_My Master has gone deaf. How tragic,_" Rider snorted as he vanished into one of the doorways which connected the room to the rest of the manor.

Lars could only gape at where Rider had been, his mind at an absolute standstill at what he had just learned.

**To Be Continued…**

* * *

><p>AN: Another chapter completed. Rider made his move and Saber managed to drive him away, but now the Death Eaters and Voldemort will know that Harry is part of the Grail War, making him that much more of a threat. Servant Saber is considered are one of the most desired of the seven Classes after all. How this will affect things to come has yet to be seen.


	6. Familiar Faces

I do not own Harry Potter of Fate/Stay Night. They belong to J.K. Rowling and Type-Moon. I am only writing this for my own amusement and for no other reason. So people out there looking to take me to court are flat out of luck.

Fate/Ingens Cor

By Ten-Faced Paladin

Chapter 6: Familiar Faces

In the days since the interrogation, the Order of the Pheonix wasn't so much concerned about the actions of the ministry in regards to Harry or what possible move might be done next. What they were talking most about was the quite blatant assassination attempt on Harry by the cloaked man on horseback. No one was really sure as to who the man was or who he was working for, but everyone was trying to figure out where he may have come from. Tonks and Shacklebolt were reporting everything they could find in the resulting investigation. It fell into the Ministry's jurisdiction since the man had obviously used magic by summoning his horse out of black smoke as well as taking on Saber who was quite obviously someone magical. Thankfully, no one seemed to connect Saber to them and make Harry's life that much more difficult.

Obliviator squads certainly earned their pay as they tracked down all of the muggles in the area and erased their memories of the incident. Of course, the muggle papers were making the incident look like a very large and unfortunate traffic accident. The police officer who died was chalked up to something flying off one of the impacts and beheading the man with his head landing in a storm drain somewhere. Police were still looking for it, but Harry, Tonks, and Shacklebolt knew that it wasn't likely going to be found lest Rider display it somewhere.

While the adults were in the middle of their meetings, Harry and Hermione were enjoying some of the privacy they got in the cleaned tea room with Saber and Archer. The green bowman had told Hermione everything he had seen and done in the battle with Rider. Of course, Saber had been more into the action himself than Archer had been and had his own observations to make in what had occurred. Of course, the two Masters hadn't been able to talk about what had happened since that day because Molly had them doing all sorts of chores to keep them busy. They weren't sure if it was just an attempt to keep the others out of Order meetings or to keep Harry's mind off of the admittedly gruesome scene he was forced to witness with Rider's actions.

It hadn't worked.

"So we know next to nothing about Rider then?" asked Hermione, already knowing the answer to the question.

"Other than that he can make his horse appear out of his hood and likes to collect heads, nothing," Harry answered.

The two Masters and their Servants as previously stated were enjoying the privacy of the tearoom while the other teens in the house were busy with other hobbies and interests since they had nothing to do. Saber and Archer were both lounging in their own ways with the black knight sitting on a nearby couch while the green bowman was leaning on the wall next to a window.

"So we have no idea who he is or who his Master is," Hermione sighed.

"What troubles me was that he attacked just as we were exiting from the Ministry," Saber frowned. "It could have been a coincidence and Rider was merely exercising his bloodlusts and saw me, but…"

"He could have been sent there to take out your Master too," Archer finished. "If you want my opinion, with all of the stuff your Master gets involved in I'd bet good money that someone told Rider where to find him and when."

"But the only ones who would really have any reason to try and hurt Harry are Death Eaters!" Hermione cried. "If one of them is a Master…"

"Then Voldemort will know about the Holy Grail," Harry frowned. That was bad news, really bad news. "And if Voldermort knows…"

Hermione paled at what Harry was getting it, "Then he might be one of the Masters in the War." She shuddered at the thought of Voldermort with a Servant.

"Rider could be Voldermort's Servant," guessed Harry, "Or one of his Death Eaters' Servants. We can't be sure. What we can be sure it's one of the Seven Classes."

"So, not only do we have Rider on the side of Voldermort but possibly Lancer, Caster, Assassin and…" Hermione gulped, "Berserker."

"That last one does not make me feel good," said Harry, fearing what type of Servant Berserker was. Hermione had given a brief description of each other Servants, but knowing that there were heroes that had gone mad and were no doubt incredibly strong sent shivers down his spine.

"There is also the fact that there may be unaffiliated Masters involved as well," Saber added. "The Grail is what selects who is worthy of taking part in the competition. People aside from Voldemort and his followers could have been selected to battle. They would be willing to destroy both sides of your conflict just to get to the Grail."

"Can it do that?" asked Hermione.

"It's the Third True Magic, connected straight to the Root of all Existence," Archer shrugged. "I don't think there's anything it can't do under the right circumstances."

"There's a pleasant thought," Harry sighed.

"So what should we do about Rider then?" asked Hermione. "We just can't let him run free."

"I don't think there's much we can do about him Master," Archer sighed. "We don't know where he came from, his full abilities, who his Master is, or any particular way to track him down aside from the fact that he likes to collect heads. Even if we could track him down, I kind of doubt that the adults much less that mother hen of a woman your friends call mother would let you even get to the front door if she knew what was going on."

"But we have to do something," Harry insisted. "We can't just wait around!" The sight of Rider slicing that man's head off was still haunting him.

"I understand your concern, Master," spoke Saber sombrely, "But this is War, my young Master and with it come casualties."

"That doesn't make it right," Harry countered.

"I know it doesn't, but until another Servant makes themselves known there is little we can do at the moment," said Saber.

"I say we start doing some training and strategize," suggested Archer. "Better than just sitting on our bums all day doing nothing."

"Maybe I can find information on Rider's identity," supplied Hermione. "His habits of collecting heads might be a clue. It's very distinctive."

"You'd be surprised…" Archer commented idly, glancing out of the window. Humanity wasn't exactly known for being pleasant all the time. The things they had done over the course of history had been both inspiring and sickening. If Hermione thought that Rider's collecting of heads was some kind of clue to his identity, she would be surprised to find that his particular habit wasn't nearly as unique as she seemed to think it was.

"Do what you must," Saber shrugged. "For now we are going to have to bide our time until Rider or one of the others appear."

"Waiting," Harry muttered under his breath. It was quickly becoming his least favourite word. Ever since coming to #12 he was told to wait, or stay calm, or a number of other things which pretty much amounted to stay out of the way of the adults while they dealt with everything. It made Harry's temper boil because everyone knew that Voldemort had a personal grudge against Harry for whatever reason and no one would tell him why. Now it seemed that one of Voldemort's top priorities were going to be taking him down if he was really part of the Grail War. Harry wasn't asking to be directly involved, but knowing what was going on so he could prepare himself for what might happen was something he wouldn't say no to.

However it seemed that was too much to ask.

* * *

><p><strong>Malfoy Manor<strong>

Voldemort was angry. Not an unusual state for someone like him, but for the fact that he had been angry for the past few days was something of a concern to the Death Eaters. All the lower-ranked members and even the majority of his Inner Circle knew was that Lars von Einzbern entered their master's throne room one day and suddenly the Dark Lord was in a fury which had him destroying everything in the room over and over again despite the efforts of the house-elves repairing or cleaning everything. Not even those closest to the Dark Lord, Bella, Lucius, and Lars would say anything about what had angered him. Finally though, after two days of fury and several more of stewing on the issue, Voldemort had called for Bella, Lucius, and Lars to his repaired throne room.

The three Death Eaters were kneeled in front of their lord and Master while Lancer, Assassin, and Rider waited at the back of the room. Voldemort rested on his throne while Berserker snarled slightly while gripping his weapon of choice. Voldemort himself was toying with his wand as he held his chin in his hand.

"Einzbern," he finally spoke. "Tell me how it was that Potter of all people was able to receive a Servant."

Lars gulped, "I…I can only speculate on that my Lord."

"Then do so, and tell me," Voldemort growled back, eyeing his latest recruit.

Lars nodded and tried to bring out his best explanation, "Well…I-I recall telling you that it was the Grail that selects the Masters for the War. I can only speculate that with so many of us fighting for your cause and receiving four Servants, the Grail selected the boy as a Master since he was someone who was in direct opposition to you."

The pieces began to fall into place for Voldemort, "And likely Archer and Caster are also the Servants of those who would stand against me."

"The Grail likely wanted to make the competition fair and thus chose appropriate Masters," Lars nodded.

"Unfortunate," Voldemort frowned. It seemed that the Potter brat and his friends were destined to face against him, just as the prophecy had stated. He been thwarted by the boy several times and dified just as often. Now it seemed that this was going to be their final confrontation if the Dark Lord had anything to say about it. After all, there could only be one winner of the Grail War. Still, he was Lord Voldemort, the most powerful wizard in the world. He would overcome this just as he did everything else.

And then all would be his.

* * *

><p>Time passed and people continued with their lives. The case of Rider's attack was shelved since the Ministry had other cases to concentrate on. The people in #12 Grimmauld Place continued with their strategy sessions against the Death Eaters while the younger residents either cleaned the place or worked to try and think up of plans for the Grail War. Likewise at Malfoy Manor Voldemort and his three minions worked to try and hunt down Potter and the three Servants so that they could remove the obstacles for the Holy Grail.<p>

But other forces were about to make their positions known and take up their parts in this unfolding legend.

* * *

><p><strong>Diagon Alley-August<strong>

"Rin, if you don't like this part of magical London, why do you keep coming here?"

Diagon Alley was as busy as it ever was with witches and wizards doing their daily shopping. Of course, it was getting extra crowded since the school year was due to begin soon and everyone was shopping for the supplies that they needed. Among those shopping for what ingredients, books, or artefacts that they needed was a curious trio. The first was a redheaded boy wearing obvious muggle clothes like jeans and a simple blue shirt. His hair was an odd shade of red considering his Asian features. Holding his one arm was another Asian girl with long black hair tied up in two ponytails. She had a much more serious look on her face with a sensible black skirt and red sweater. Finally on the boy's other arm was a petite woman with blonde hair done up in a braid which was further held up in a bun. She was the only one of the trio which was Caucasian and sported sapphire quality blue eyes. She had an air of majesty around her despite the simple white blouse and blue skirt she wore. It was that air of majesty that made the surrounding wizards and witches part so the trio could move unobstructed.

They didn't look entirely odd, the two of Asian descent only standing out a little because of their looks. If anything, they looked like a small group of friends who were out on a daytime shopping trip. Perhaps the familiar way both of the women were holding the boy's arms caused some raised eyebrows and looks of jealousy from young men. It did appear that the trio was quite close with one another with the way the girls were holding the young man's arms were indicating.

Rin Tohsaka, Shirou Emiya, and Arturia Pendragon were indeed that close and closer in private.

Rin had come a long line of established mages back in Japan, and as such knew all of the ins and outs of her family craft. She was currently Shirou's main teacher when it came to things such as magic and magecraft and the Master of Arturia. While she knew of magic, she was more of the persuasion of the Magus Association rather than the Ministry of Magic so seeing her in a place which was quite obviously run by said Ministry was somewhat surprising.

Shirou was adopted by the infamous Mage Killer Kiritsugu Emiya upon the completion of the Fourth Heavens Feel which resulted in a catastrophic fire which left Shirou one of the few survivors. He was a strong-hearted individual who believed strongly in the concept of justice. His knowledge of magic was sparse and spotty, but despite all of the odds he managed to discover a completely new branch of magic he dubbed as Tracing before completing a magic talent that was known as a Reality Marble.

Lastly Arturia was not a regular human. She was a Heroic Spirit summoned by Shirou during the Fifth Grail War as Servant Saber. She later lost her contract because of the fifth Caster's interference before making a new one with Rin. Arturia was in truth the Arthur Pendragon of myth in Britain, her true gender being a deeply guarded secret by her family and those who she trusted beyond reproach. With the completion of the Fifth Grail War with no clear winner and the Grail destroyed she decided to stay with Shirou and Rin, the three somehow striking up a strange relationship with one another thanks to their experiences in the Fifth War.

Since the Fifth Grail War ended in Fuyuki, Rin was accepted into the Magus Association's finest school Clock Tower in London after she graduated from high school. She had been applying for some time and it seemed her efforts had finally paid off. She was reluctant to leave Shirou behind. As tsundere as Rin was, even her façade of toughness wouldn't allow her to leave behind the boy she had fallen in love with. So, leaving the Emiya Estate in care of Shirou's self-declared big sister Taiga Fujimura, Shirou, Rin, and Arturia headed off for England. According to Clock Tower's records Shirou was officially Rin's apprentice and Arturia was…well, no one was really sure but most of the people who would ask were too busy being entranced by the two girls' beauty or jealous of Shirou being so close to them to really ask.

At this moment in time, it was shopping day for the trio.

"I may think these wizards are behind the times, but their potion ingredients are some of the best preserved and their gemstones of the highest quality in magical terms," Rin explained as she tugged Shirou along, looking for the proper stores for her ingredient and gemstone needs. "The stones these people tend to sell have a greater latent magic power in them than the ones the mundane people sell in London or back in Fuyuki. That makes them much easier to use in my spellcrafting."

"Oh," Shirou nodded.

Rin made it no secret that she disliked the more 'traditional' part of magical culture in London. Despite preferring older and traditional methods of researching and living like most in the Magus Association, she didn't make herself blind or ignorant of the modern facilities used by the mundane people in the world. The traditional people of magical London acted like they were still in the Victorian era and were in no hurry to change things despite how messed up they were in her opinion. Of course, that could be expected since the so-called Purebloods practically ran everything with their gold and backwater ideals. Sure, bloodlines counted for a lot in the Magus Association, but keeping the lines 'pure' like the traditionalists did would just end up doing damage in the long run and that meant damaging Magus Crests in her world.

Shirou just nodded and went along with whatever Rin told him. He was a stranger in a strange land with little to no experience and had only just recently mastered speaking English enough he could go about on his own. Rin had long since mastered it since she anticipated being accepted to Clock Tower while Arturia was a native despite how fluent she was in Japanese thanks to the Holy Grail. Shirou had to admit that despite being backwater according to Rin, the traditional magicians of London certainly knew how to take pride in their heritage. Shirou could practically feel the magic pouring out of everything in the alley. Compared to the magic he was used to seeing in the Grail War and Clock Tower, this felt…friendlier, for lack of a better term.

Arturia could only watch everyone around her and be strongly reminded of Merlin, her most trusted advisor and the biggest pain in her ass. The sights, smells, and colours all reminded her of his workshop, that hut he called home before moving into Camelot proper, and the various projects he'd be working on whenever she would go to see him. He was a constant companion in her life and one of the shoulders she would cry on next to Sir Kay and Lancelot in those rare instances where her emotional strength would fail her. Of course, for every good memory she had of the man, just as many bad ones such as his various antics, pranks, and explosions he would cause. His epitome was when he managed to somehow give Arturia a working penis as a prank one day, supposedly to 'enhance her illusion of manhood'. She didn't buy it and threw him in the dungeon for a while. Seeing how these kinds of magi carried themselves served to remind Arturia of the old wizard she trusted so implicitly.

As Rin was talking about the values of goblin-jewellery, Shirou was examining some of the other things in the alley. He spotted a store which sold brooms, but not the kind made for cleaning like he was used to. They were made to ride like witches and such were said to do in myths. Supposedly it was part of some kind of sport which was called Quidditch that the locals loved to play. Rin just called it a death trap waiting to happen and an open invitation to cheating.

Kids were scooting about with their parents or with their friends, ogling everything which was for sale or caught their eye. Shirou had to admit that he saw the appeal in pure looks. With some of the books and baubles for sale, Shirou wondered if they would be as appealing as they looked once he learned what they were for. The mystery of magic was one of the appealing points in his experience, but once the mystery was solved was when you could see if it was something truly magical or not.

Rin eventually found the local jewellers which she could examine what they had. Shirou and Arturia decided to amuse themselves with one of the other shops catering to potion ingredients, if only to be easily found for Rin. Shirou was intrigued by some of the potion ingredients which traditional wizards used and the kinds of creatures which they had come from. He was somewhat surprised to find that newt eyes actually were real potion ingredients considering the magic which modern media spoke about was usually a load of crock. Then again, Shakespeare wrote in newt eyes as a potion ingredient centuries ago where magi probably weren't as secretive as they were in the modern day so he could have picked it up from an actual magi.

"Hmm, never would have figured porcupine quills to be potion ingredients," Shirou muttered.

"Merlin usually kept stores of them along with other creature parts handy," Arturia commented. "I admit his craft was not something I wished to associate myself with considering his…quirks."

"I'll bet," Shirou chuckled.

Moving through to actual unicorn horns, Shirou and Arturia were suddenly interrupted by screams of terror and the sight of fleeing people outside of the windows. Both of their mindsets changed from curious shoppers/tourists to warriors about to head out and go up against the next threat. Charging out of the store, they saw Rin coming out of the jeweller's with the same look in her eyes. United in their cause, they charged towards where Diagon Alley and the other major alleys connected in a town square, the source of the floo and apparition points which the wizards used to get there quickly.

As they got closer, Rin felt her hand begin to heat up, or more specifically the markings on her hand which were left over from the Fifth Grail War and were in fact the Command Seals which made her Master of Arturia, Servant Saber. With the Grail War over though and the Grail itself supposedly destroyed she really hadn't expected to ever feel them to react to anything ever again. To feel them now though…

"That's it! Run! Run you mudblood filth! Ah ha ha ha ha!" a crazed female voice shrieked. "The Dark Lord will cleanse you from our world! You won't steal our magic any longer!"

Shirou, Rin, and Arturia pushed their way through the crowds to see just who was responsible for the mess. Coming out from the panicking masses, they saw a woman dressed in a black set of female robes a black hood and skull-like mask laughing in glee as several people were either dead or wounded around her. With her though, was a man who was dressed as a Greek warrior wielding a spear and a shield while lashing out at whoever the obviously mad woman was pointing ordered him to. Several wizards in robes were attempting to strike the woman and her ally down with spells, but the woman was quick to use protective magic to block their assaults while the man was able to block with his shield, strike the spells out of the air with his spear, or simply let them strike his body with no effect.

"A Servant?" Shirou gasped out, quite easily recognizing a Heroic Spirit when he saw one.

"It can't be," Rin whispered in horror. Were the events of Fuyuki actually repeating themselves?

The trio watched as the Greek destroyed one of the hiding places that the wizards were using, forcing them to scramble. Of course, the witch in the mask just began shooting curses as they ran, laughing like a complete lunatic. It served to snap the three out of their shock as they saw people suffering at the hands of the pair. Shirou and Arturia were ready to go into action while Rin began drawing jewels to activate her best spells. Arturia unleashed her magic and her outfit vanished, only to be replaced by a majestic blue dress with armour over her chest, hands, sides, and legs. Her hands were gripped as if they were holding something. In truth, Arturia was using her Invisible Air to render her sword Excalibur invisible.

Shirou raised his arms, activating his magi circuits so to unleash his own personal brand of magic, "Trace on!" Light emerged from both his hands before wireframe images of swords appeared. The images then solidified into a pair of Chinese swords, one white and the other black. They were copies of the Noble Phantasms Kanshou and Bakuya, but they were capable of the same tasks that the real blades of legend were capable of.

An unspoken signal connected the trio and both Shirou and Arturia charged for the Greek soldier.

Lancer's instincts served him well as he sensed approaching enemies. Turing, he spotted a woman in blue and a red-haired boy charging at him, both armed with blades. The woman's blade seemed to be invisible though, but he could tell it was there. What surprised him was the fact that the woman was a Servant. First impressions would have had her pegged as Saber, but Lancer already knew that Saber was a knight in black armour. Was he looking at a combat-capable Caster? Was the boy her Master?

Arturia struck first, Excalibur cutting through the air. Lancer of course blocked the blow with his shield, but a shower of sparks came from the impact. Lancer's eyes narrowed at the impact. Obviously the woman's sword was powerful, but so was his shield. The boy took the opportunity to strike with his own blades, but Lancer easily parried those with a swipe of his spear. Using the momentum, he pushed the woman away and attempted to cut her with the spear, but she rolled away as the boy backed off. Obviously the two were no strangers to battle.

"_Finally, someone worthy,_" Lancer thought to himself.

Bellatrix heard the clashes of steel and turned to witness the two attacking her Servants with swords of her own. Her anger boiled as some obvious mudbloods dared to attack her own Servant, the ultimate proof that she was destined to properly use magic, "You filthy-!"

Her slur was quickly interrupted by a glowing red orb that collided with the ground near her. The orb exploded violently, causing Bellatrix to stumble backwards in attempts to shield her face. Shaking her head, Bellatrix looked to see who had attacked her and saw a magi in red with long black hair holding two glowing rubies between her fingers.

"Now, now," Rin smirked. "Let the warriors and magi fight their own battles."

"REEAGH!" Bellatrix raged, seeing another mudblood (although in Rin's case she was sorely mistaken) and cast an appropriate spell. "_Crucio!_"

Unlike most magi, Rin knew the importance of staying mobile inside a magical fight. She didn't have much of a choice but to learn such physical movements when she was in a relationship with the likes of Shirou and Arturia. So the Tohsaka heiress was capable of dodging the Unforgivable by rolling to the side. Coming to a crouching stop, she dropped one of her charged rubies into her free hand before throwing it with rather impressive accuracy. The ruby cut through the air as if it were an arrow before colliding with Bellatrix's unprotected torso. Another explosion sounded off, sending the deranged woman flying across the cobblestone road.

Bellatrix landed in a heap, smoke coming from her robes. Normally Rin's attack spells could be quite lethal when she was using them, but this time it wasn't about killing the obviously evil witch. Rin knew that Servants didn't appear for just any reason. She needed information from the lunatic and wasn't prepared to kill her. Of course, letting her leave at all or unscathed certainly wasn't a problem. Still, she wasn't expecting to score a hit so quickly.

Rin cautiously began to approach, wanting to keep a full range of movement around her while keeping an eye on the grunting witch. She didn't want to be fooled by someone playing dead only to get stabbed in the back. Other witches and wizards were staring at her as she moved, obviously surprised by how one girl stood up to what was obviously a Death Eater and take her down so quickly. Rin ignored the bystanders and just kept an eye for anything funny, but so far it seemed her one strike had managed to do the job.

"Geez," she sighed, gazing at the writhing witch. "She didn't even try to dodge. What's wrong with these people? Don't they have enough sense to dodge when something is sent at them?"

"LOOK OUT RIN!"

"Shirou?" Rin blinked to turn to see how her lovers were and her eyes widened when she saw the Greek's spear flying at her at mach speed. Gasping, Rin dove for cover so to avoid being skewered by the weapon. Thankfully, the weapon missed her and kept flying to strike one of the many cauldrons for sale. The metal clashed against metal and the spear ricochet from the impact, flipping through the air and landing point first on a plank of wood resting on top of a barrel that was resting on its side, part of the remains of a cart full of items. On the rest of the cart, a barrel of firewhiskey rolled off onto the higher end of the plank, launching the spear into the air. It travelled through the air before coming down on the battle where Arturia and Shirou were attempting to double-team Lancer and get past his shield. However, the plan was nixed when the Greek raised his arm and captured the spear in his hand before swiping at the pair.

"Kuso!" Shirou grimaced as he felt his shirt get torn by the bladed weapon. "That makes the third time!"

"Yes," Arturia frowned, gripping her sword. "The spear must be his Noble Phantasm."

In the course of the battle, Lancer had either thrown away or seemingly lost his spear three times in total. However, by chance or an absolute disregard to the laws of probability the weapon always managed to find its way back to his hand. The first time he had thrown it at Arturia to make her back off while he parried Shirou's attacks with his shield. The spear had missed, but struck a hanging sign and clonked a witness in the head before he caught it. The dazed man then stumbled into the open area and actually walked up to Lancer before dropping the spear into his hand and passing out. The second time Shirou and Arturia seemed to have pinned him inside a narrow section of space before he threw his weapon into the air where a passing owl had caught it. Lancer then removed himself from the spot and back into open space where the owl dropped the weapon back into his waiting hand. Finally was when he tried to hit Rin with the weapon and a series of unlikely events brought it back to his waiting hand.

"Oh, so you truly know about Servents eh?" asked Lancer. "Then pray tell, who might you be little woman? You surely cannot be Saber. He has already appeared. Are you perhaps the missing Caster?"

"I am no Servant in this Grail War," Arturia answered, her eyes narrowed. "If that is indeed what you are here for."

"Ah, but why else would a Heroic Spirit appear?" asked Lancer. "Another Grail War has begun, and these people will serve as the witnesses!"

Hearing those words brought chills down both Shirou and Arturia's spines. They recalled the pain and fear that fighting against the other Servants in the Fifth Grail War had brought, only to find out that the prize was not what they had bargained for. A vicious ceremony and a tainted prize. It seemed that like with them before, history was repeating itself once again. Still, how was another Grail War occurring? All three veterans of the Fifth War were sure that the Grail had been destroyed.

Rin quickly recovered from the shock of the spear being thrown at her and turned her attention back to her magi opponent. Bellatrix was finally recovering, but the front of her robes was scorched open, revealing the robes she wore underneath. Despite the skull-like mask that was concealing her identity, it was quite clear that she was pissed. Getting to her knees, the insane witch lashed out with her wand and favourite spell. "_Crucio! Crucio! Crucio!_"

Several bolts of pure Unforgivable went flying through the air, aimed to cause nothing but unbridled pain in Rin's body. Again, Bellatrix' duelling method was proving to be more of a hindrance than a help since she was used to not having to move to cast her spells. Rin on the other hand was used to movement and managed to dive for some cover and prevent the spells from hitting her. It only served to infuriate Bellatrix even more. Lashing out with her wand, she ignited the area which Rin was hiding behind.

"Dammit!" Rin hissed. "She's psycho!"

Still, psycho or not Bellatrix had something of an advantage. With the fire lit, it would spread if a spell hit the barrier and send the debris flying in all directions. She would have to go on the defensive even if the psycho was waiting for her to do that. So clutching her last ruby, Rin let her muscles tense before she flung herself straight over the burning barrier, throwing the magically charged gemstone as she did so.

"_Avada Kedavra!_"

The powered gemstone and the green blast of killing magic flew past one another as they soared towards their targets. Rin was rolling along the ground, just barely feeling the killing curse soar over her head. She was pretty sure the ends of her ponytails died right then and there. Bellatrix quickly dodged to the side, having figured out that Rin did not fight like a normal witch. The energized ruby soared past her and blew up a portion of brickwork that made up Diagon Alley. Rin was on her knees in a heartbeat and quickly drew three more rubies, their surfaces already glowing with magical power. Bellatrix was likewise getting to her feet, ready to keep fighting and prove to the mudbloods who the more powerful witch was.

Lancer parried another blow from Arturia and blocked Shirou's follow up assault. Throughout the fight, the pair had their clothes torn or bodies cut and looked like they had been indeed fighting the spear-wielder. How they had managed to avoid the spear's edge against their flesh no one was truly sure. Lancer himself though didn't look like he had been doing anything strenuous at all beyond a thin layer of sweat that had collected on his body. Witnesses were sure that the pair had struck at least a few blows against the spear-wielder's body, but so far no damage seemed to have appeared. During the exchanges, Lancer kept an eye on his Master when he could.

He could tell that his Master was having trouble against the enemy Magi. It was not hard to tell that Bellatrix Lestrange had considerable magical power and a wide arsenal of spells made for killing and torturing. However, the wizarding prison she had been part of before she had been snuck out had not been kind to her despite the amount of time she had been free for. She was definitely not at her top physical peak. Add to that the fact she was likely not used to people being able to fight back effectively and she would quite obviously have a fair bit of difficulty against a trained magi.

In short, Lancer believed that she was going to lose soon unless she got her act together.

Glancing back at Arturia and Shirou, Lancer sighed in regret. Facing such strong opponents was thrilling, but he also had his duty to think of. Besides, he could see numerous magi collecting their wits and pulling out their own wands while more were approaching down the street. The attack was not going to go as well as his Master wished. It was time for him to act like a Servant and consider his Master's safety…no matter how much he wished otherwise.

"And just when it was becoming amusing," Lancer sighed as he broke away from Arturia and Shirou.

"Huh?" blinked the redhead.

"Are you running away?" demanded Arturia.

"As much as I'd prefer to see this battle through, my Master doesn't have the common sense to cut her losses when things start getting bad," Lancer replied as he began walking away from the pair. "The perils of have a maniac for a Master I suppose."

Shirou and Arturia would have protested, but Lancer didn't listen before he actually leaped the distance between himself and the masked woman attempting to kill Rin. In fact, she was so focused on the task she didn't even notice him until he was by her side. Finally seeing her Servant, she glared at him.

"What are you doing?-!" she screeched. "I told you to go kill the traitors and mudbloods!"

"The enemy is getting their wits back and reinforcements are approaching," Lancer replied, completely ignoring the crazy witch's anger. "I may be able to take care of them, but you on the other hand are quite vulnerable if it only takes one competent mage to hold you off. I may not care if you get wounded, but if you die then I lose my chance at the Grail and you can't get it for your master dead. So make a decision now before the other woman blows your head off!"

Bellatrix snarled at her rebellious Servant. Despite being quite unhinged, she was sane enough to have her own personal logic. To her, Voldemort was the beginning and end of all things. His desires and goals came first and foremost. She knew he wanted the Grail and thus as a Master she was dedicated to giving it to him. She knew she couldn't do that if she was dead or back in Azkaban. She definitely knew Lancer wouldn't do it for her either. If he was allowed to run on his own, he'd just use the Grail on his own wishes and desires. As much as she wished to show the blood traitors and mudbloods that their infestation days were soon over, she couldn't allow herself to die for the cause just yet.

Growling, Bellatrix turned an absolutely murderous stare back at Rin who had taken a guarded position in case Lancer tried to take her out, "You got lucky today mudblood! I'll be back to kill you!"

Grabbing Lancer's arm, Bellatrix used her apparition magic and in a single pop, both she and the Servant were gone. The resulting silence was deafening, no one wanting to make a sound in case it somehow attracted the pair again to unleash their carnage. All but three people were in that mindset.

"Mudblood eh?" Rin scowled as she pocketed her rubies. "Shows what those inbred idiots know. They only know who's pure because they're all married to each other."

"Rin, I think we've got something more important to deal with," Shirou commented, interrupting his teacher/lover's incoming rant on how stagnant this side of Magical Britain could be.

"Right, right," the Tohsaka heir nodded, running her fingers through her hair. "This is bad. Someone's started up another Grail War and it seems that it's in full swing already." She bit her thumb in thought, racking her mind for answers. "Just who in this society has the power or even the knowledge on how to start a Grail War? The Magus Association is supposed to have sealed all of the information on it."

"What I wish to know is, has the Grail's taint been removed or has it remained after we destroyed it?" asked Arturia with a serious frown.

Shirou and Rin both frowned deeply at that. They both recalled the disgusting entity that emerged when the Grail was in the process of being summoned. They also knew that because of the taint, any wish made on that Grail would just be interpreted as a means of destroying everything and releasing the root of all evil into the world. It had been destroyed twice now by Excalibur, but it was doubtful if that had been enough to truly destroy the taint itself.

"Should we tell someone? Zelretch maybe?" asked Shirou.

"That old blood sucker might just keep things as they are for the sake of seeing what might happen," Rin muttered darkly. "But we have to tell someone what's happening or else this mess could get a lot worse. He's the only one who wouldn't try to make the situation worse by trying to take part though. He's the only one we can even moderately trust with this sort of thing."

"Then I suggest we go now," Arturia nodded. "It seems the lawkeepers are arriving."

Rin and Shirou both turned and noticed several official-looking wizards and witches coming onto the scene and checking everyone who might have been injured by the attack. They hadn't seemed to have taken special interest in the trio yet, but that would soon change once they began getting the whole story. Since they didn't want to get mixed into the politics between the Magus Association and the Ministry of Magic, they decided that disappearing would be a rather good idea.

"This way," Rin gestured to her lovers. Nodding, Shirou and Arturia followed after the fellow mage towards one of the exit routes that the alley offered. Hopefully it would allow them to get around the aurors and keep them out of trouble.

They didn't notice a pink-haired auror taking special notice of them all.

* * *

><p><strong>Clock Tower<strong>

Unbeknownst to Rin, Shirou, and Arturia, the matter they were concerned about was already well in hand. From his quarters in the Magus Association's finest school known as Clock Tower, Zelretch the Wizard Marshal, The Gemstone, and master of the 2nd True Magic was already aware of the situation that had occurred. Honestly, someone like him missing an appearance for a Heroic Spirit running around in the middle of Diagon Alley? His student obviously didn't give him enough credit.

To most people, Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg looked like a man in his fifties or so with gray hair and a gray beard. He wore a simple black suit with a black cloak over his shoulders. He didn't appear threatening in any capacity to the average onlooker. In fact, the only remarkable thing about his physical stature was his red eyes. In truth though, he was one of the Twenty Seven Dead Apostle Ancestors and the only known user of the Second True Magic, the power to operate in alternate worlds. He was arguably one of the most powerful magi in the word with Aoko Aozaki taking the title of World's Most Powerful.

Zelretch already knew that an unsanctioned Grail War was starting up. Long ago he had overseen the beginnings of the First Grail War and the systems of magic which went into the massive ritual. He could of course recognize the signs of one in the works. He could also tell that since the Heroic Spirit in question was partnered with a Death Eater, Voldemort was likely in the know about how the Grail War worked, if not an active participant himself.

The ancient vampire was familiar with Voldemort and his work. While he supported Clock Tower's attempts to stop the dark wanker, he didn't really care much more than that. After all, he had seen would-be conquerors and blood purists rise and fall many times. It was like a pattern which emerged over the centuries. Sometimes the morons would get lucky, and other times they'd get killed in some dramatic way that would make the ones who took them down into legends. Voldemort was no different when he met his 'demise' at the hands of Harry Potter. It made the then baby into a legend and certainly raised the vampire's interest for all of two minutes before he promptly got bored with it all and continued in his own works, leaving the how and why to the people who were genuinely interested in such things.

Unlike the Ministry of Magic who were very much content to deny Potter's claims that Voldemort had returned and lived in their delusional little world of inbred ideals and perfection, the Magus Association was taking things a little more seriously. After all, they knew from experience that even if you killed something it didn't mean that they were dead. Zelretch himself was a superb example of that much. However, they really couldn't look too much into the matter since Voldemort came from the Ministry's side of magic and thus fell into their jurisdiction. With their blatant denial of anything wrong in their so-called perfect little world, and genuine dislike of the Magus Association, the Enforcers much less any kind of investigative effort couldn't be dispatched. Most would have found it extremely aggravating to have to deal with such a situation, but Zelretch just saw it all as another amusing example of just how stupid people could be.

'_Still._' The ancient vampire thought to himself. '_Perhaps I can turn this into an opportunity for my student._'

It was no secret that Rin Tohsaka was one of Zelretch's favoured pupils; if not the only one he took seriously for some time. Ever since she first applied to the Clock Tower he had been testing her. First he made her applications that much more difficult just to see if she could deal with the stress and aggravation of it all…that and for some cheap laughs. After that, he kept an eye on her to see her progress and how well she did under certain challenges. That boy Shirou she was involved with certainly made for good inspiration, especially when some of the other apprentices decided he would make for a good means of getting to Rin. What really got Zelretch's attention on the pair was when the boy managed to recreate his own Jewel Sword. The boy's Tracing ability was quite the talent and if Zelretch thought right, he had a Reality Marble tucked away somewhere. Most impressive. Arturia, well, how could he really think harshly of a Pendragon? Especially when he could see if he could top the aggravation that Merlin caused her back in her day.

After having scryed his student and her words concerning him, he felt that she was rather accurate. He was in fact curious to see how this Grail War that a wizard managed to start up would turn out. Of course, he wouldn't leave things exactly as they were just for his amusement. No, they needed his personal touch in order to really mix things up and become truly entertaining.

"Hmmm," he pondered. "Albus did mention he was in the market for a new teacher."

* * *

><p><strong>London Flat—(EmiyaTohsaka/Pendragon Residence)**

It had taken some time, and some creative manoeuvring but the trio of Shirou, Rin, and Arturia managed to get out of Diagon Alley and back into mundane London where they could go home. A brisk walk which was deathly silent and the trio managed to locate their flat and enter once again.

It was a rather small place and would have been snug for two people, which was the initial intention of Shirou and Arturia when they had rented the place. Rin being a student of Clock Tower and of being the heir of a long and established line of magi connected to the place was cordially invited to receive one of their dorm rooms for her residence. It was a perfect arrangement since Rin would be able to stick close to her studies while Shirou and Arturia would be able to live off-campus and support her however they could. However, that arrangement fell apart when Rin got in some kind of argument with another student both apprentice and familiar only knew as 'the blue skank' and it turned out into an all out magical war over which one of them would get the room they were after. Rin was sheepish about the details, but when she finished her explanation, it seemed that a good portion of the dorms had been destroyed by their argument. With nowhere else to go, Rin moved in with Shirou and Arturia.

It was a tight squeeze, not to mention an intimate one. Still, they made it work since both girls accepted their strange relationship with the man they loved. Rin was usually busy with her studies or some other school project so she was out most of the day. Arturia would assist in the household any way she could while Shirou would be the house cook and breadwinner thanks to a job he managed to snag thanks to contacts in Clock Tower and Rin's own reputation. Things were sometimes tight, but they managed to make it work. Of course, one of the ironclad rules was that Arturia never cook. Not after a disaster which would remain unmentionable.

"Okay," Rin sighed as the trio entered the flat. "I'd better go and see if I can't get in touch with the old bloodsucker. If anyone can tell that a Grail War is going on, it would be him hands down."

"Right," Shirou sighed. He wanted to do something about the situation, but like the Fifth Grail War he had taken part in; he was in the dark about his next course of action.

"Should Shirou and I see if we can find out if any incidents similar to the Fifth War are happening?" asked Arturia.

"Mnnn, it might help," Rin nodded. "But it won't reveal anything if all seven Servants have been summoned by proper magi rather than people splitting their power or outright mundanes. The Servants won't have a need to siphon peoples' souls and can continue with just their masters' power."

"Nonetheless, we should still check," Arturia insisted.

"Right, right," Rin sighed. "Okay, I'll head off to Clock Tower to see if I can't find Zelretch and find out if he knows anything. You two go see if there are any other signs of Servants running around and we can meet back here-"

KNOCK! KNOCK!

"You've got to be kidding me," Rin frowned, turning a baleful glare at the door. They hadn't even gotten their indoor slippers on for crying out loud! Stomping over to the door, Rin opened it with a loud cry of "What?-!"

She then promptly paled as she got a good look at the man on the other side.

Long purple robes, half moon spectacles, long white beard which defied practicality, a slightly crooked nose which looked like it had been dealt some damage in the past, pointed hat, grandfatherly sparkle in his eyes, and a disarming smile that functioned very well. While Rin may not have liked Wizarding London, she knew who the important names were. Even the Magus Association talked about some of their exploits as praiseworthy despite coming from the 'backwards' side of magic. Of course, there were also the idiots who made such an effort at making themselves look stupid that they were joked about often in the Magus Association as well. Cornelius Fudge was one of those latter people, but the man in front of her was one of the former.

"A…Albus…Dumbledore?" Rin gaped.

"Ah, I see you already know me," the old man smiled. "That saves us on the introductions I suppose. How convenient."

Albus Dumbledore was quite a famous name on both groups of magic-users. Discovering twelve uses of dragon blood was a boon to magic users everywhere and their studies. His defeat of Grindelwald was certainly praiseworthy since the man had gone on such a rampage during his heyday. Both achievements were quite praiseworthy in the eyes of the Ministry and the Association. Being the head of the Wizengamot was a pretty big deal too, but if Rin heard the rumours right he had been stripped of that title by the idiot Fudge who had taken it for himself. Of course, with Dumbledore trying to raise awareness of Voldemort's possible return Fudge had apparently been pulling out all the stops to try and shut him up.

"Rin? Who is it?" came Shirou's voice, snapping Rin out of her surprise.

"Ah...P-please excuse my rudeness," the mage gasped. "Would you like to come in?"

"I would be delighted," Albus smiled once again.

Rin escorted Dumbledore inside and brought him to their modest living room. Shriou immediately noticed that they had a guest and set out to prepare some tea. Arturia went to help receive the guest by taking a seat on the sofa next to Rin. Shirou was just assuming that someone from the Magus Association was visiting. He wasn't quite up to date on the history of magic since Rin kept him focusing on current magecraft and how to do it so he didn't quite know who Dumbledore was. Arturia likewise didn't know who the old man was, but was strongly reminded of her old advisor Merlin once again. No one had to wait for tea very long thanks to Shirou's culinary skills and the various tricks he learned over the years. Before any conversation started, he brought a teapot and cups for everyone to the living.

"Ah thank you," Dumbledore nodded as he took a cup. "It's been so long since I've been able to have company with tea."

"So…uh…what brings you to our door…uh, Mr. Dumbledore?" asked Rin.

"Ah, please, just call me Albus for now," Dumbledore smiled, waving off Rin's formality. "As for the reason I'm coming here, I suppose that has some explaining. You see, as you might know I am the current headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

Rin and Shirou both nodded, having heard of the school since coming to London. Of course, they didn't know too much about it beyond that it was hailed as the best in the world for the age groups of magic students. Rin had of course had briefly wondered why her own father never considered sending her there but then remembered that her father was a mage, not a wizard. Shirou was slightly envious of his own father not sending him, but Kiritsugu hadn't exactly been thrilled with Shirou becoming a mage in the first place and at best left that education half-assed. Arturia on the other hand didn't know what it was at all and was silently listening.

"I regretfully must admit that at the moment I have something of a staffing problem," Dumbledore continued. "Every year it seems our Defence Against the Dark Arts teachers suffer some kind of accident or are forced to resign. Usually it is not a problem since I have a long list of potential teachers I can call up for a crisis…however in recent days with the Minister of Magic's bouts of paranoia, he has seen fit to create a decree that should I be unable to find a replacement, he will supply one."

"One that would no doubt serve his goals rather than the students," Rin frowned, already getting the idea. Dumbledore had gone on record stating that Voldemort had managed to pull a resurrection. Not such an outlandish idea to the trio since they had met Zelretch before and knew that landing a lethal blow didn't always mean the target was dead. However, Fudge was proving to be in a very deep amount of denial over the fact and refused to so much as investigate the claims if only to prove the old wizard wrong since that would risk the self-glorifying Minster's claims of being right. The Tohsaka heiress could already see Fudge's plot. Since Dumbledore was in charge of Hogwarts, having a man inside would start undermining his power and maybe even turn the students against him to so support the Ministry's edicts. Personally Rin thought Fudge was acting like a spoiled brat and should be removed from office before he got someone killed thanks to his incompetence.

"Indeed," Dumbledore sighed. "The list of possible candidates vanished in nearly a heartbeat. Apparently they were all reassigned to someplace else, hired by the Ministry, or are otherwise occupied. If this continues on then I will have no choice but to allow the Ministry's choice in teaching the class."

"So then what do you need from us?" asked Shirou, silently hoping that there was a way to stop the obviously corrupt official. Someone possibly abusing the education of minors just for political power did not sit well with Shirou.

"Actually, I was contacted today by an associate in the Magus Association who offered me a suggestion," Dumbledore answered. "He told me that he had a student who had some experience teaching and was quite the prodigy in many magical fields. He also said that student had considerable experience in facing dark forces."

Rin's frown turned especially sour, "Lemme guess. Zelretch told you about me, didn't he?"

"Indeed. He's something of an old acquaintance," Dumbledore admitted. Although, the slight stress near his eyes hinted that he likewise had experience in the meddling that the old vampire did for amusement. "So here I am, asking if you would take the position of our Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher."

"That old bloodsucker," Rin snarled under her breath. Shirou and Arturia both wiggled slightly so to giver the girl her space. Rin Tohsaka's temper was not to be taken lightly. Still, Rin managed to keep herself in check for the moment. "Mr…Albus, you are aware that I am still a student, right?"

"Yes, yes," Dumbledore nodded. "However, Zelretch has already convinced me that you are more than capable of filling the position through your not so inconsiderable knowledge and your own experiences. He also assures me that you will be exempted from all of your lessons in the approaching year. Of course, he also expects you to keep up in your current studies. He said that if you accept, he bring you up with the details."

Rin massaged her temple as she tried to bring her thoughts to order. Academically, this would be a good experience for her. She would be able to experience the Ministry's style of magic and perhaps adapt some of the things they had to her own magecraft. Of course, she'd be missing out on a year at Clock Tower and the blue skank would be able to hold something over her. Still, Zelretch was nothing if not a good teacher even if some of his methods could be…extreme. Plus she did see herself as a capable teacher if she managed to turn Shirou from the no-talent ignorant goofball that he was into the competent magi that he was today. Plus, she had to admit that some of his ideology had rubbed off on her…

"If I'm going to accept the offer, there are a few things I am going to have to insist on," Rin spoke up, seeing Dumbledore's hopeful gleam.

"Of course," Dumbledore nodded. "What might those be?"

"Since Hogwarts is in Scotland, I assume that the teachers will live there for the duration of the school year at least, correct?" asked Rin. Seeing Dumbledore nod, she continued. "To that end, Shirou and Arturia must come with me. Shirou is my apprentice and I can't afford to have him miss a whole year of my tutelage since most of his magical education was half-assed until he met me."

"Rin…" Shirou grimaced. "I wasn't THAT bad."

"Oh yes you were," Rin snickered. "Also, Arturia is my…assistant and she's been a monumental help since you no doubt know that learning, researching and consequently teaching can sometimes lead to quite the clutter."

"Indeed it does," Dumbledore chuckled, having been subject to that affliction quite a few times in his long life. "Hogwarts can easily house yourself and your associates. I assume this means you will be accepting the position?"

"So long as those conditions are met, I will," Rin nodded.

"Marvellous," Dumbledore smiled, relief written all over his face. "Well then, shall we discuss the details?"

Much tea and biscuits were shared as the discussion continued.

* * *

><p><strong>Malfoy Manor<strong>

The mood was once again grim in Malfoy manor as Voldemort met with his fellow Masters inside his throne room. At the sides of the room were the four Servants. Rider and Berserker were on the left while Assassin and Lancer were on the right. All four were simply watching the proceedings, uncaring of what was going on. The same couldn't be said for the trio of Masters who now had to deal with Voldemort and his opinion on the attack.

"So, you withdrew," said Voldermort. He didn't sound happy.

"It wasn't my fault!" Bellatrix insisted as she cast a glare at Lancer who didn't seem to care about her anger. "My cowardly Servant made me withdraw!"

She and Lancer had gotten into an argument before Bellatrix was summoned to face Voldermort. Between the two of them, Lancer was actually the smart and sane one since he knew more about battle than she did. He didn't have much respect for these Death Eaters who hid their faces and killed with only magic. He preferred to fight his enemies honourably, face-to-face, and let them know who they were facing. He hated to withdraw but he needed his Master alive so he could have a chance at the Holy Grail.

He was her Servant, but that didn't mean he was a slave.

"You seem to forget _Master_ that we were being assaulted by another Servant and her Master as well as an obviously accomplished magi," Lancer hissed with a scowl. "I restate; I could have handled them but you were being held off by just one woman. Once the other magi got their senses back and encouraged at the sight of you being held off, you would have been an easy target."

"Silence!" Bellatrix hissed.

"Does the truth hurt, sister-in-law?" asked Lucius, unable to resist digging into his in-law.

"Lucius…" Bellattrix snarled.

"Enough," Voldemort frowned. He did not need to raise his voice, the power in it silencing the pair.

Despite Bellatrix trying to make herself look good in light of the failed attack on Diagon Alley, Tom Riddle knew exactly what had occurred through her eyes. His legilimency allowed him to read her mind like an open book. He saw the foreign women actually casting wandlessly against Bella, how sloppily the crazy witch was fighting her, obviously getting overconfident with her own abilities. He also managed to catch glimpses of Lancer's battle with the redheaded boy who could have passed off as a Weasley and the blonde slip of a girl that Lancer considered more worthy of his attention.

"I assume that perhaps this woman in blue is the missing Caster?" asked Voldemort.

"She claims she is not, but Servants are able to recognize one another," Lancer replied, knowing that the snake-like man was talking to him. "She must be Caster to be able to render her own sword invisible. Swords are made to attack things, not render them invisible so I doubt the magic shielding her blade came from the weapon."

"I see," Voldemort nodded. He didn't quite see the allure of wielding a sword, but one didn't become legendary by being predictable. Godric Gryffindor himself wielded a sword during his lifetime despite being a powerful wizard. "So all of the playing pieces are on the board then. Berserker, Lancer, Assassin, Rider, Caster, Archer, and Saber. The seven have been confirmed. Now all we must do is crush the three who stand against us."

"And then nothing will stand in the way of your glory," Bellatrix giggled deviously.

Voldemort sneered as he saw his plans growing closer to completion. He would need time to win this Grail War…

But time was something he had plenty of.

**To Be Continued…**

* * *

><p>AN: Well, we see some familiar faces from the Fate/Stay Night series and they're going to be there for some time to come. How will Rin, Shirou, and Arturia play in the events to come? Well, you'll just have to wait and see won't you.


	7. Summer's End

I do not own Harry Potter or Fate/Stay Night. Those belong to their respective creators and not me. I am only writing this for fun and not for profit. If you don't like the story then you don't have to read it. I certainly am not forcing you to do such.

**Fate/Ingens Cor**

**By Ten-Faced Paladin**

**Chapter 7: Summer's End**

_Harry stood in the middle of a castle courtyard which was minimally lit in the cloudy day and filled with various odds and ends which seemed a castle would have. At first Harry thought that he was back in Hogwarts, but quickly was proven wrong. The feeling was all wrong. The warmth, the homeliness, the feeling of welcoming was all gone. Despite being an ancient castle, the grounds of Hogwarts always felt like a safe haven. This place…this place was the exact opposite. This stone fortress was filled with nothing but a feeling of being unwelcomed and darkness._

_If the sensations were enough to cause chills in his bones, the sight which surrounded the young man was more than enough._

_Harry stood in the middle of what seemed a terrible free for all. Ten fully grown men were lying in pools of blood of various sizes. They were dressed in tarnished armour which showed a lack of care beyond functionality. They each had a various amount of heavy weapons ranging from axes and maces to swords and claymores. They were obviously intimidating figures._

_The one who defeated them though was anything but._

_He was standing at the back of the courtyard in front of a large pair of double doors. From head to toe, he was dressed in armour which was purest white. Every inch of it seemed to be more appropriate for a work of art rather than protection in warfare. It's entire surface was smooth and curved, looking like it was magic crafted into steel. The knight held a sword which seemed to be made of silver rather than steel. It was quite obvious that he had been the one to kill the ten men in the room if the sword covered in blood was any indication despite the rain washing it off. Despite being the one who killed ten men, Harry couldn't feel afraid of him at all. Just something about the white knight made him feel like everything would be okay in the end._

_The knight was kneeling slightly, obviously catching his breath from the previous fight. He was tired, but he was far from being finished. After a few moments of catching his breath, he stood up tall and began to advance through the remainder of the courtyard. He approached a large pair of wooden doors. Coming to a halt, he raised he white armoured fist and slammed it down on the surface._

"_Copper Knight!" the white knight shouted out. "Show yourself! I have defeated your twenty knights! Show yourself Copper Knight!"_

_Harry gasped, recognizing the voice. Was this white knight…Saber?_

_Growing impatient, the white knight grabbed the iron ring which served as a door handle and pulled on it. The door gave a loud creak and opened without much of a hassle. Inside was a typical throne room, or at least what Harry thought was a typical throne room. Iron chandeliers giving light from candles, shields with decorative swords, and even average metal suits of armour. At the back of the room was a simple throne, one which would have been used by nobility. Discarded at the foot of the throne though was a full suit of armour which looked like it was made out of copper. Whoever it belonged to had left it behind in a hurry, leaving it as it was._

"_Copper Knight…" the white knight frowned in distaste. "COWARD!"_

_The yell echoed through the fortress, a knight's bitterness over being denied honourable combat._

Harry gasped as he returned to the waking world. No longer was he in some unknown castle with a white knight denied his call to battle, but in his bed inside Grimmauld Place. With a soft groan, Harry sat up so to get the fog out of his mind. The dream itself wasn't exactly what one could call a nightmare, especially since the odd dream he would get of Voldemort's actions but it was still unnerving in its own way. There was no true rage in the white knight, but the sheer disappointment he exuded was almost as bad.

"Master? Are you well?"

Harry blinked and despite his blurred vision thanks to having no glasses on, he could still tell he was looking at Saber. Scratching his head, he muttered, "I'm fine Saber." Reaching to the bedside table he retrieved his glasses and slipped them on. Glancing over to his Servant, he spotted the black knight sitting up in his customary chair. He must have noticed Harry's discomfort upon awakening.

"Did you have a nightmare, Master?" asked Saber.

Harry nodded as he tried not to reflexively cringe at the term. He had actually wanted to talk to Saber about the whole 'Master' thing. The casual reference really didn't feel all that good about the term and since all of the excitement between the Grail War, his investigation, and the Grimmauld Place chores had died down, he could try and do something to use up his time. The first thing he had wanted to do was get Saber to call him by name rather than by his title. It made Harry feel like Saber was his slave sometimes. Hermione certainly started to insist Archer call her by her own name, her S.P.E.W. spirit burning brightly for any kind of enslaved people, but Archer kept using the title. It was quite obvious he was just using the term to agitate her, much to the amusement of the twins.

"No, it was just strange," Harry replied. "It was a pleasant change compared to some of my normal dreams."

"The ones which connect you to Voldemort," Saber reasoned.

"SNK!" Ron's snore sounded off, signalling the redhead's return to the waking world. Mumbling, the redhead sat up with a yawn. Blinking, he spotted Harry and Saber, "Do you two have to talk so loud?"

"Sorry," Harry sighed. "It's just as good that you're up anyway I suppose. Breakfast should be ready soon."

"Oh," Ron yawned a second time. "Good timing then."

The boys managed to pull themselves out of bed and went to get dressed. Ron and Harry both admitted it was a little awkward at first dressing with another person in the room. It wasn't like they were unused to the concept, having changed into their Hogwarts robes together on the Hogwarts Express and in their dorm rooms. In those instances, they were each changing among boys their own age and had more or less lost their reservations with them. With a grown man in the room, they felt that awkwardness all over again. Fortunately, they got over it soon enough since Saber didn't give any kind of judgement or teasing like some of the other boys in their dorms may have. Now Saber was just like one of the guys…albeit one who never slept, ate, or even went to the bathroom.

The boys exited the room with Saber sticking close as always. They quickly made their way down to the kitchen (ignoring the mounted elf heads) where Molly was making her usual gut-busting breakfast. Ginny and Hermione were already there with Archer in his usual morning victory smirk. The reason for the smirk was quickly made obvious with the twins sitting across from the redheaded bowman with syrup in their hair and feathers stuck on top of that, making both of them look like they were half-bird.

"Thirty-seven to fourteen, my favour boys," Archer grinned. "Better step your _game_ up if you want to _catch_ up."

"Revenge will be ours," George vowed dramatically.

"So swear the Brothers Weasley," Fred agreed.

Archer snickered as he sipped his morning tea, "I'm always open for a challenge."

Despite the rather chaotic entry of Archer and Saber into the Order Headquarters, they seemed to make themselves at home and managed to become part of the organization despite their strict loyalty to solely Hermione and Harry, respectively. Archer had become something of the unofficial Weasley, especially after Percy's estrangement from the rest of the family thanks to his belief in the absolute authority of the Ministry. Ginny still had her suspicions that Archer was some kind of relation despite how unlikely it was to be true. The prank war with the twins was still in full swing with Archer quite obviously in the lead. As fellow pranksters, Lupin and Sirius couldn't help but sit back and admire the chaos the two warring sides created.

Saber was a somewhat different story. Many of the adults were still remaining wary of him save for Sirius and Lupin. Harry guessed that it was his rather dark look, what with his black armour and all. As ones who bent and broke rules all the time as the Marauders, Lupin and Sirius were perhaps more easygoing about his presence. Or perhaps it was because of their closer attachment to Harry and Saber's role in his rescue from the Dementors. He was thus far the best bodyguard Harry had, which was likely why no one had tried to separate the two. Unlike most of the Order who had regular jobs to deal with so to get their support and information like Tonks and Shacklebolt or were just plain unable like Sirius or Mundungus, Saber's sole purpose for being there was to protect Harry. So far, he had been doing a splendid job.

"All right everyone, eat up!" Molly called as she brought all of her cooking to the table through use of her wand and levitation charms. Expertly pouring all of the eggs, sausage, bacon, and other things onto large plates where were in the placed on the centre of the table. "There's a small list of chores that need doing before you all set out and I don't want them left to the last minute."

"Aw Mum," Ron groaned. "It's the last day of the hols. Can't you lay up a little? We've been doing chores since we got here."

"Don't take that tone with me Ronald," Molly warned, pointing at her youngest son. "You wanted to help out the Order, well you are. You're doing your part to turn this place into a proper headquarters. If you want to keep staying here then I expect you to keep doing your share."

"Yes Mum," Ron sighed. While he was the kind of guy who could slip into arguments at the drop of a hat, he knew better than to challenge his mother when she was using her authoritative tone of voice. It meant she wasn't going to fold on anything. If anything else, she'd come down on you harder that she would have before you opened your mouth.

"Good," Molly nodded as she sent the empty cooking tools to the sink. Kreacher was under orders to wash the dishes so Molly could assist the Order in other duties or just take a hands-on approach to the rest of the cleaning that the house dearly needed. "Now I'm going to see to the basement. Sirius mentioned he saw more gnomes skittering about the other day. You lot finish breakfast and tend to the drawing room, would you?" Receiving nods, Molly left the children and Servants to their meal.

"Looks like another day of smashing a twisted magi's idea of fun," Archer shrugged as he started getting his share of eggs onto his plate. Like Saber, he didn't need to eat but it certainly didn't mean he didn't like the taste of good cooking. Her screeching voice aside, Molly Weasley certainly knew how to cook. "Not quite what I was picturing when I was summoned."

"Nor I," agreed Saber, taking strips of bacon for himself. It took a lot of solid stares from Molly as well as the scents which her cooking could produce, but Saber was finally taking part in the meals rather than simply watching. To Molly and the Order's disappointment though, he would simply readjust his helmet and slip the food in through his slightly opened visor. No one saw even a hint of his true face, only Hermione claiming she saw his skin but that was it. "However a secure headquarters is extremely useful and a few menial chores are a small price to pay."

He left out that it would be ideal for his and Harry's efforts in the Holy Grail War, not just for the Order's operations against Voldemort.

"I'm more concerned about why our booklists are taking so long to get here," Hermione frowned, collecting toast for herself. "I'm surprised that it's so late in the summer and we still haven't got a word."

"Likely because Dumbledore hasn't been having luck finding a Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher," Ginny spoke up.

"Dad mentioned in one meeting that he's been having a spot of trouble in that regard," Fred nodded, now seemingly accepting of the feathers mounted on his head.

"Likely Fudge trying to slip his own man inside," George frowned. "Lots of the members have been saying he's been mucking things up."

"Well, that and the curse on the position," Fred added. "I mean, look what happened to the other four."

"What else is new?" Harry sighed, rolling his eyes.

Since the days of Harry's interview, Fudge seemed to by trying all sorts of stunts in order to discredit The-Boy-Who-Lived and Dumbledore. The Daily Prophet was rewriting Skeeter's old articles as well as new ones which basically boiled down to the same thing: 'Harry Potter is an attention-seeking brat who is obviously unstable. Don't listen to a word he says. The Ministry of Magic is in complete control.' They were even using rumours about the investigation and Harry's part in it to paint him as an unreliable child. To Harry, and everyone who knew him well enough, it looked like Fudge was getting more and more desperate to try and get Harry and Dumbledore to stop talking about Voldemort. Unfortunately, it was working. Lots of other people were taking the word as absolute truth if the letters to the editor were any indication.

"Honestly," Hermione huffed. "If the man put half as much effort in at least ensuring that what Harry and Dumbledore say is true or false instead of just slandering them, we'd be over this mess already and be prepared for Voldemort."

"The man covets power too much," Archer shrugged, devouring his eggs. "He's denied Harry and that Dumbledore's claims up and down as if he's swearing to God. If it comes out that he was wrong, when he admittedly hasn't done anything to even prove or disprove the claims much less prepare for the worst case scenario, then the people are going to be pretty mad. They're going to want answers and Fudge won't have the ones they'll want to hear. That would lead to him getting the boot, no doubt."

"And the corrupt always cling to power as much as they can," Saber nodded. "If things do get their worst, I expect him to suddenly disappear."

"Like the Copper Knight?" Harry whispered absently as he picked at his breakfast, honestly not thinking about his words entirely. Saber suddenly stiffened and turned his gaze to the black-haired boy. Shock may have been on his features, but obviously the helmet covered that. Harry's whisper seemed to have evaded the others at the table, but Archer's gaze had sharpened as he noticed Saber's sudden reaction to Harry's whispered question. The knight had recovered well, everyone else too busy to notice his reaction as he turned to face his Master.

Silently Saber leaned forward, his face close to his Master's ear, "Master, I would consult with you. I would consult with you most earnestly."

Saber's tone hinted that he would tolerate no argument. Obviously Harry had said something that Saber did not like. Just hearing the shadowed tone had made more shivers run down his spine than the basilisk or even the Dementors could bring. For the first time in his life, Harry actually wished for Voldemort's appearance.

* * *

><p><strong>Diagon Alley<strong>

Luna and Xenophillius walked down the familiar scenery of Diagon Alley. It wasn't as crowded as it normally would have been and people who were still on the streets were jumpy and quick to reach their destinations. It was quite obvious that people were still scared even though the Death Eater attack was several days ago. Xenophillius had written an account of the event and had quite obviously proclaimed that Voldemort had gained a contract with ancient forces to achieve ultimate power. The Quibbler published the story in record time with pictures from his contacts as well as interviews with witnesses. While many in the magical community scoffed at the stories he ran, Xenophillius ran a tight ship with his magazine and backed up everything he wrote with facts. It wasn't his fault that no one seemed to believe them.

Still, rumours were flying about that it had been Bellatrix Lestrange who had been the Death Eater allied with the man in strange armour. Despite many adamantly saying that she was still locked up in Azkaban, no prison was inescapable. Sirius Black did it so it wasn't impossible to see that others might be able to pull it off too. Despite the Ministry's reassurances that everything was under control, no one felt safe since many of them remembered the previous war and the chaos it threw the Ministry into. Others just didn't have much faith in a government that would go to such lengths to slander a teenage boy and one who many claimed to be the Leader of the Light.

Not that the Lovegoods were concerned. No, they knew they were perfectly safe at the moment. It didn't come from some kind of ability they personally had or belief in some strange creature that others would call them crazy for even considering was real. The reason why they felt much safer was because they had a practitioner of powerful magic watching their backs in his astralized form.

Walking out to the area of the alley which the assault took place, Luna eyed everything despite it all being repaired back to its regular appearances, "So this is where it happened?"

"Yes Honeybun," Xenophillius nodded. "Quite the bit of excitement. The pictures were just thrilling."

"_I expected more from a woman who had a Servant with her,_" Caster commented as he eyed the area. He could of course feel the magic in the air, but none of it held the kind of power that he would have attributed to a Servant wielding. Either the Servant in question was not trying very hard in his terrorizing attempts or he had been very much distracted by the ones who had faced him in combat. "_Did your father not say somebody fought the two?_"

"Hmm," Luna pondered, relaying Caster's question. "Daddy, didn't you say that some people had fought against the Death Eater and the armoured man?"

"Oh yes," Xeno agreed, the group stopping in at Flourish and Blotts. "A young man with red hair and a pair of swords that were black and white, a young lady wearing red with long dark hair, and a woman in a blue dress with armour, blonde hair, and apparently an invisible sword."

Neither noticed Caster had perked at the description of the swordswoman. Walking between the rows of books and squeezing past the shoppers within, Caster leaned down to Luna. He spoke in a whisper, but not because he feared being overheard, but in quiet anticipation of what might come, "_Master, I believe a Servant may have been the one to stop that woman. Is there a picture?_"

"I wonder," Luna nodded dispassionately. "Were there any pictures of them? I don't recall the Daily Prophet releasing images of them."

"Yes, because the story has been mostly suppressed," Xeno replied, digging into his robes. That was plainly obvious since Fudge was adamant in pretending that everything was safe, despite what many knew or feared otherwise. "I do so hope they appear again. I would so love to have them for an interview. Ah, here we are." He pulled a photo out of his robes and handed it over to his daughter. Luna took the photo and peered over it. She had to admit that her father was right, the pictures were absolutely thrilling. The Death Eater and her comrade were quite powerful-looking while the three unknowns fought with all their might and seemed to be capable of matching them. The boy was rather handsome, if not somewhat older than her but the woman in blue…

"_I don't believe it…_" Caster gasped.

"Caster?" Luna blinked, looking up to her astralized Servant, uncaring of who might be listening.

"_I believe we have just discovered Saber,_" Caster's voice echoed with amusement. "_Of all of the potential heroes, she was the last one I was expecting to see._"

"Oh, so you know who she is?" asked Luna, finding this whole event terribly exciting. Everyone else in the bookstore was giving her odd looks while her father ruffled through the periodicals. Many of the people who were shopping students quickly recognized her, shrugged, and went on their way. After all, Loony Lovegood talking to an 'imaginary' friend was nothing new to them. As a girl who constantly went on about animals which absolutely no one believed to exist or talked about subjects that no one felt they could take seriously, being in conversation with an invisible friend was nothing new to them.

"_I know that Saber well,_" Caster nodded. "_The one who wields Excalibur, the sword of promised victory. That woman, my fair Master is Arturia Pendragon._"

"Ah!" Luna gasped, for once showing genuine shock on her features rather than simple detachment. "Is it really?"

"_I have gazed upon her face myself in my life,_" Caster insisted. "_One does not forget a person like that. I do find it funny that while likely everyone in her kingdom thought she was a man, I was able to identify her real gender right away._"

"Oh this is wonderful!" Luna beamed, hopping on the spot. Just ready to burst from the news, she headed to her father and began tugging on her robes, "Daddy! Daddy! Caster just gave me some incredible news!"

* * *

><p><strong>#12 Grimmauld Place<strong>

Breakfast had become a hurried affair after Saber voiced his wish to speak with Harry. The Boy-Who-Felt-He-Might-Not-Live-Much-Longer tried to stretch out breakfast out of sheer survival instinct. Still, it wasn't meant to last and everyone soon set out to get the daily chores out of the way. Harry would have gleefully followed, but Saber's hand restrained him as the others left. Only Archer spared a glance back at the two, shooting a sympathetic/amused glance at the boy before going on his way. When the wooden door shut behind them, Harry felt it may have well been a vault door for he wasn't going to be leaving until Saber finished with what he wanted to say.

"Master," Saber spoke, breaking the numbing silence. "Why did you mention a…Copper Knight?"

It didn't escape Harry's notice that Saber spoke of the Copper Knight with a fair amount of disgust. The black knight obviously had no pleasant feelings towards the knight in question. Deciding to not try and arouse Saber's temper, however tightly controlled it was, Harry answered, "He was mentioned…in the dream I had last night."

"About?" Saber pressed.

"A…a knight in white armour that was in a castle," Harry replied, finding the table very interesting. "He had just killed ten other knights and called out for the Copper Knight. When he entered the room where I think the Knight was supposed to be, there was only a suit of copper armour that was discarded. The knight was angry and shouted out. That's when I woke up." He glanced up to see how Saber would react to the news and found that the knight wasn't moving. He only had his arms crossed over his chest with his head bowed in thought. There was another numbing silence which Harry found to stretch into infinity before Saber saw fit to break it.

"What you witnessed was an event in my life," Saber spoke, no irritation or malice in his voice. There was only resignation. "It is part of the dream cycle. Masters and their Servants share a powerful bond. During the course of our partnership, you will likely be treated to dreams of events which happened during my life. You will see more dreams such as that as the Grail War continues."

"I…see," Harry blinked. "As if my dreams weren't strange enough. So Hermione is going through this too?"

"She likely has. If not, she will soon. All Masters experience the dream cycle." Saber nodded. "However, it is vitally important that you _never _reveal what you have seen in the dream cycle. Those events which you may see have indeed happened and will offer clues to my identity. The events are also linked to my legend and are likely known by many, if not easily found. If anyone found out about those events, they could use them to discover who I am and also any weaknesses I have."

"Right," Harry nodded, easily understanding the need for discretion. He didn't need word of such reaching Voldemort, who was no doubt already having the same events occurring to him if he was truly part of the Holy Grail War. "Sorry."

"You are not responsible Master," Saber replied, standing up. "You have not been educated in how the Holy Grail War operates. I suppose I haven't been as detailed about it as I could have either. Usually this kind of information would be given to you by the mediator of the War. However, I was granted no knowledge of who this might be."

"We'll figure it out," Harry nodded. "I'm sure of that much."

"Such an optimistic Master I have," Saber noted, but there was a slightly bit of humour in his voice. "Now I suppose we should be off. That woman won't let us hear the end of it if we don't do the assigned tasks."

Harry smiled in agreement.

* * *

><p>Whilst Harry and Saber were having their talk, Ginny, Hermione, and Archer were busy in the drawing room yet again. It was mostly clean save for some pieces of furniture and a bunch of items which seemed to have a variety of enchantments on them which Archer and Saber reported they would destroy last. They were worried about recoil from a possible explosion that an obviously heavily enchanted item might cause. Being nigh immune to magic or at least highly resistant to it, Saber and Archer would just shrug off any retaliation the items may try.<p>

Archer was taking the few smaller objects such as a jewellery box, a necklace, or ring and smashing it with his bow. Hermione was taking a few tomes off of the remaining dusty shelves before cleaning them off. The ones she found interesting she would set aside for reading later. The rest she would leave in a pile to replace when the shelf was cleaned off. Ginny was tackling the few chairs left that had fabric on them in attempts to get the dust and doxy droppings out. Fred and George had dragged Ron somewhere for a moment since they needed his help with something. Harry and Saber were still back in the kitchen, talking about whatever Saber needed to say.

To pass the time, the girls were discussing the kinds of magic that Hermione had used to summon Archer. It was an ongoing subject of conversation between the pair since Ginny hadn't heard of the kinds of summonings which Hermione had been reading up about. She also didn't have any idea that an organization like the Magus Association actually existed. For once, she found herself drawn into one of Hermione's educational explanations as the bushy-haired girl explained what she knew about the kind of magic connected to Archer's summoning.

"So…those books said that you can actually cast magic with something else besides a wand?" asked Ginny. "I mean, I've heard of wandless magic and such, but to use something else entirely?"

"According to the book I found, it's possible," Hermione answered, checking the title of a particularly thick book. "The Magus Association seems to practice casting certain spells or storing magical power through ordinary objects. Rings, daggers, jewels, just about anything. There were even mentions of wizards who have had magical focus in muggle guns or a large quantity of mercury."

"But how?" asked Ginny in sheer confusion.

"Unfortunately the book I have didn't go into it," Hermione sighed. "The only reason I managed to figure it out is because the book liked to mention various people, both famous and infamous and how their magic was known to work."

"Think we can learn about that?" asked Ginny.

"Not at Hogwarts," Hermione sighed. "The Ministry and the Association don't like each other very much. The Association is constantly pushing magic forward, trying to use it in new ways that no one has seen before. Researching, developing, and all sorts of experiments to see what might be possible."

"So what's wrong with that?" wondered the redhead.

"Because apparently it's not what Merlin would do," the brunette replied, stacking more books. "Since the Magus Association associates with the muggle world, keeps track of everything in both magic and science, and experiments in new and strange ways of magic that Merlin wasn't known to do, the Magus Association are considered heretics by the Ministry and like things they don't like in recent days, pretend it doesn't exist if they can help it."

"Then why does the Association not like the Ministry?" asked Ginny.

"Well, likely because they consider the Ministry to ignorant of the world at large, hiding its own little world and living with somewhat backwater ideals," Hermione answered with no small amount of depression. "I can only assume that the likes of Voldemort, Malfoy, and people who share their ideals don't paint the best picture of us. The people in power care so much about keeping their blood purely magical…well, you saw Sirus' family tree."

"No kidding," Ginny shivered, glancing at the large picture of Sirius' family and relations. The mural was certainly artistic enough save for the faces that were blasted out, but the all of the names in it belonged to people related to all of the pureblood families. Ginny even found her own family tree connected to Sirius'. She really didn't think that having that few families intermarrying and breeding together would be healthy in the long term. "So the Magus Association doesn't care about blood purity?"

"Well, I think they care more about bloodlines," Hermione answered. "The books I have keep prominently talking about various figures and who they're descended from. They care more about making bloodlines stronger, making their magic more powerful. Of course just how much of their family are magi seems to count for a lot, but also how powerful the members are magically. I think the difference is that with the Ministry, just having all magical bloodlines is all that is needed. For the Magus Association, you need to have powerful magi as ancestors to be able to brag about it."

"So people like Malfoy wouldn't cut it on money alone?" Ginny grinned.

"Well, money seems to certainly help in anything, but ability seems to count for just as much," Hermione snickered. She could just imagine Draco Malfoy demanding his respect and authority like he did at Hogwarts from someone at the Magus Association, throwing around his father's name like always, only for the magi there to give him the boot because likely no one from the Association had heard of the Malfoys save for perhaps Lucius who served Voldemort. That kind of reputation didn't quite open doors with people who weren't corrupt. His gold might get him so far, but eventually they would tire of him and his mediocre skills and do something about him. Hermione only wished she could see such a thing.

"Still, that book sounds like it might be interesting," Ginny snickered, just picturing the spoiled Malfoy scion getting his butt kicked by the Magus Association because he annoyed them so damn much. If it weren't for who is father was, someone would have hexed him long ago. Unfortunately, when you're related to someone high in the Ministry hierarchy it tends to give you a fair amount of leeway with others. Draco Malfoy knew how to use that to avoid getting in trouble.

"I'll lend it to you sometime," Hermione nodded. "Now let's get back to this so we have a little bit of spare time for ourselves."

"I like the sound of that!" Archer grinned. "Maybe I can finally convince that woman the joys of roasting over a spit. Barbaric she says? The only thing barbaric about pork roasted slowly and with the right seasonings is how people lunge for it!"

Hermione rolled her eyes as Ginny giggled. However, they were interrupted by a pair of owls which swooped into the room via an open window. They were tawny and brown, which neither girl recognized immediately as belonging to one of their friends. Archer merely eyed the bird as it came to a stop on a table, holding out its leg expectantly. Hermione set down the books she was tending to and walked up to the owl staring at her. Untying it's parcel, she took a brown parchment letter which was sealed by wax and made in the image of a familiar school seal.

"Ah, the booklists," Hermione sighed with relief. "I was getting worried."

"About time," Ginny commented, trying to coax the letter away from the owl looking at her. It took some doing since the owl wanted to be lifted up before Ginny was allowed to take the letter off. Still, she managed it before sending the owl away with a flutter of wings. Soon she was focused completely on her letter and wondering about what things she would need for the upcoming year.

"I don't think I'll ever get over how you magi use owls to mail each other," Archer sighed, shaking his head. "I mean, it seems bloody complicated to train those owls to the point that they can pinpoint where the person they're supposed to drop the letter off to is almost every time. On the other hand, it's more reliable to use birds than couriers."

"It's not as hard as you think," Hermione commented, working her letter open. "Owls are very intelligent birds already so it isn't too hard for them to take to carrying letters. I'm not quite sure how they know where to find the person they are meant to deliver too. Come to think of it, I was always curious about it…"

"Come back to the present Master," Archer snickered, recognizing when Hermione was going into one of her bids for knowledge. The word 'Master' certainly brought Hermione back to her senses as she glared at the bowman, but only received another snicker in response.

Hermione decided that another argument about the M-word would just serve to amuse the green-clad man. Instead, she finished undoing the seal on the parchment envelope. Ginny was already reading her own letter as the bushy-haired girl looked over her own.

"Aside from the _Standard Book of Spells _I've got a book called _The Apprentice's Guide to Cursed and Enchanted Artefacts_ and one called _Magecraft of the Modern World,_" Ginny reported from her list. "Other than that, everything's the same."

"I have one called _Duellists of the Ages _along with those_,_" Hermione reported. "I don't think I've ever seen these titles in Flourish and Blo-" Her words were cut off as while she was looking through the paper, something rustled from inside the envelope which the letter had been found in. It wasn't particularly heavy and if it weren't for the flash of gold and red which made it so eye-catching, she wouldn't have noticed it likely until long after the letter had been read and reread in her usual bid to see if there was a detail she missed. Her heart pounded as she picked up the badge, revealing a majestic P on top of the Gryffindor lion. Hermione easily recalled seeing such a badge on the robes of Ron's older brother Percy…who was a Prefect.

Hermione's squeal echoed through the entire mansion. Ginny and Archer both grimaced at being so close to ground zero of the cry.

"I've discovered my Master's devastating power," Archer grimaced as he rubbed his ears.

"I don't believe it! This is incredible! Oh this is downright wonderful!" Hermione cried as she clutched the badge, her letter forgotten in her hand for the time being. "I have to show Harry and Ron!" squealing girlishly, the bushy-haired girl dashed for the door and out into the hallways.

After a moment of silence, Ginny shook her head, "I don't know why I feel surprised. We all knew she'd be made Prefect eventually."

Archer couldn't help but laugh.

* * *

><p>"Bloody hell," Ron groaned.<p>

Whereas the girls were in fits of happiness to various degrees, the boys certainly were not. Harry and Ron had just received their Hogwarts letters much like Hermione and Ginny did. Opening them, they looked over the contents with Saber reading over Harry's shoulder. Of course, Fred and George chose that moment to enter via apparition (feather-free fortunately) just to see what their little brother would have to deal with in the upcoming year. As Ron went through his letter though, he discovered a certain badge which made his face go pale.

"Get out!" Fred cried out, snatching the badge from his brother. "You? A Prefect? It must be a joke!"

George took the badge next, "We always figured it would be Harry." The Weasley twin glanced at the black-haired boy. "I mean, with all of the things you've done for Hogwarts and us, we figured you'd be a shoo-in!" His tone of voice reflected that he wanted to believe that the whole idea of Ron becoming a Prefect was a big practical joke. However, no one was laughing and no one was saying otherwise.

"Must have caused too much trouble I guess," Fred suggested.

"At least he has one of his priorities straight," George agreed.

"Mum's going to be unbearable," the first twin groaned, remembering just how awful their mother was when Bill and then Percy were selected to be a Prefect. Now that a third son was selected for the position, her excitement and squealing over the event would grate on all of the Weasley children.

Harry wasn't too sure what to say about the situation. On one hand, he was pleased that Ron was chosen to be a Prefect, which was something to be proud of and certainly a good thing to celebrate. On the other hand, Harry felt the beginnings of jealousy seeping into him. He had been helping the school out ever since he had arrived in his first year. He had done things most children his age wouldn't dream of doing such as protecting the Sorcerer's Stone, stopping that Basilisk, rescuing Sirius from the Dementors, and even taking part in and winning the Triwizard Tournament. It felt like Dumbledore had just pushed aside everything he had done as nothing special. Oh sure, Ron was a big help in many of those situations and he understood why the redhead was considered and eventually selected for the position in a way.

"I assume this 'Prefect' position is important?" asked Saber.

"Pretty much…yeah," Ron nodded, absently noting Saber's question.

"They're the representatives of the teachers while in school," Harry explained. "Hogwarts is a very big place and the teachers can't really keep an eye on everything even if they can use magic. So they select students to represent them. They have the ability to deduct points and assign detentions like a teacher would. Basically, they're the authority while no one else is around."

"I see," the black knight nodded.

"Yeah, we've gotten in a spot of trouble or two with them," Fred nodded. "Now it seems our little brother will follow that proud, proud legacy, he spoke imperiously, but then turned to Harry and pressed the badge to his shirt where it would rest on his Hogwarts robes. "Still think it would look better on Harry though."

"Mnn," Harry sighed, snatching the badge from Fred's hand. Just feeling it in his hands made the reality all the more clear that the badge wasn't his and was instead in Ron's possession. Now he was sure that he was feeling jealousy over the situation.

The group's disbelief was suspended when the doors to the room burst open with Hermione charging in, looking even frizzier than ever before. She had her envelope in her hand and a second Prefect badge in her hand. She was obviously excited about having it, judging by her gasping breath, "Did you…have you?"

Her eyes landed on the badge in Harry's hand, eliciting a squeal.

"I knew it!" she cried out, raising her own Prefect badge for the others to see. "Me too Harry! Me too!"

"No, no!" Harry quickly denied, shoving the badge back into Ron's grasp. "It's Ron's badge! Not mine!"

"_Ron?_" Hermione gaped, not for a moment hiding her utter disbelief in Ron of all people being selected as a Prefect. His history with respecting the rules… "Are you…I mean, are you sure? Ron?"

"Hey," Ron huffed, holding up his Hogwarts letter. "It's my name on the notice. It came out of the envelope given to me.

"Oh! I mean…" Hermione gasped, recovering herself from her shock. "It's just…shocking! Well done Ron."

"If you think it's shocking, try guessing our surprise," snickered George.

"Everyone!" the voice of Mrs. Weasley called out before the woman herself entered the room with an armload of freshly cleaned and folded robes for Harry and Ron. "Ginny just told me that the letters have arrived. If you give them to me I can stop by Diagon Alley and get you everything you need while the rest of you get your trunks packed. Ron, you need new pyajamas. They're getting a little too short on the arms and legs. Is there any specific colour you'd like?"

"Get him red and gold to match his new badge," Fred spoke up, resigning himself to the inevitable.

"His new _Prefect's badge_," George added, apparently agreeing with his brother.

"Okay, I'll…what?" Mrs. Weasley blinked, her list of domestic chores being stopped cold by the news that one of her children had become a Prefect once again.

'_Damn!_' Ron groaned as he raised his new badge to show to his mother, revealing all of the enthusiasm of a man who was being guided to the execution chamber.

Molly Weasley's cry of delight easily outstripped Hermione's.

* * *

><p><strong>Malfoy Manor<strong>

Voldemort was once again in conference with his three Death Eaters Lars, Bellatrix, and Lucius. With them were their Servants. Berserker was at Voldemort's side like always whilst Rider, Lancer, and Assassin were at the far wall as was their preference since they did not like their current Masters at all. With their discovery of Harry Potter being counted among the opposing Masters and seeing who they thought was Caster fighting them in Diagon Alley, the group formed plans around just how they were going to eliminate the competition and claim the Grail for themselves.

"It seems, my Death Eaters that thus far our search for the other Masters has been turning up nothing," Voldemort hissed in displeasure. Berserker's insane scowl grew deeper as he felt his Master's aggravation. "Will any of you be capable of explaining this?"

"My contacts in the Ministry have turned up nothing, my lord," Lucius spoke. "None of the investigators seem to have any sort of information on who the two wizards who fought against Bellatrix and Lancer are. I believe they have to be muggleborn and thus the Ministry doesn't keep a close eye on them."

"As expected of their foolishness, letting filth wander around freely," Bellatrix hissed.

"Then you have an idea, my dear Bella?" asked Voldemort, turning on his trusted minion expectedly.

The Lestrange woman snapped to attention and bowed her head deeper to her lord and master, "Uh…no master." That in itself was no grand surprise since Bellatrix was not known for being the investigative kind of person. Getting information from an unwilling subject she could do, but go out and find it? It was not exactly her specialty.

"I thought not," Voldemort growled. "And then there is Potter. Not only is he involved in this war, but he has Saber on his side. Likely Archer belongs to one of his little friends as well. Since neither of them have been found nor killed, I assume that they are still alive and well." his serpentine eyes narrowed as he thought of the only one responsible for the boy's vanishing act. "Blast Dumbledore and his protections."

Voldemort knew he had to be wary of Potter. Not because he feared the brat. Lord Voldemort feared nothing. However, that blasted prophecy stated that Potter would have a power that the Dark Lord didn't. A power which could defeat him and destroy everything he worked for. He wondered if that power was the Holy Grail, and if it was then it would make it much more important that the boy be killed. Not that it was an easy task in the past and would no doubt be harder now that he had the likes of Saber protecting him. Add on the ridiculous amounts of protection which Dumbledore would be using to keep the boy out of his sights and the problem became that much more demanding.

"Can we simply send our Servants to that school and attack?" asked Lucius.

"Perhaps, but that would mean we would have to travel with out Servants and all of us would stick out. The master must remain hidden for now, I am from the Magus Association and would stand out, Bellatrix is supposed to still be in Azkaban, and while you are on the Board of Governors you would still need an official reason to explain your presence," Lars interjected. Distance wasn't really an issue between Masters and their Servants, but it was usually good common sense for the Masters to keep an eye out during battles between the Heroic Spirits. Strategy wise, it would allow the Masters to see the battles from a different perspective and render aid when appropriate or spot things which their Servants would not. In the case of the current Rider, Lancer, Berserker, and Assassin though, it was to make sure they obeyed their orders and didn't to anything to jeopardize their plans.

"Then how do you suggest we strike at the boy, heretic!" Bellatrix snapped venomously.

"That, I actually have a plan for," Lars spat back, a smug grin overcoming his face.

"We are listening, Einzbern," Voldemort frowned.

"It is a well-known fact that the Command Spells can be transferred from one person to another," Lars explained. "The simplest way to strike at Potter in the school would be to have one of the students who are dedicated to our cause take command of one of the Servants and follow our instructions to strike at the boy."

"You expect us to simply give up our positions as participants in the Holy Grail War?" asked Lucius with a frown.

"With people such as us, I doubted as much," Lars rolled his eyes. "However, during the Fourth Grail War, a magus known as Kayneth Archibald El-Melloi managed to manipulate the bond between Master and Servant so that he held the Command Spells while his fiancée supplied the power to keep his Servant in this world."

"What is it that you are suggesting then?" wondered Voldemort.

"Among the other materials I managed to…acquire for my Confoundus Ritual, I also took what information I could about the Holy Grail War and anything odd which had occurred during its history to try and predict how the Grail would react," Lars explained. "I found Kayneth's notes on the subject and his theory about splitting the responsibilities of a Master between two people. Using it, I can confidentially say that I can take our Command Spells and place them on someone else, but let us remain the ones who power the Servant. That way when the task is complete, it will be a simple task to simply return the Command Spells to us."

"A bold statement to make," the Dark Lord commented. "I trust you will be able to deliver what you promise?"

"Most certainly," Lars answered, confidence brimming in his voice.

Voldemort began to smile, "Good. Then let us find a suitable candidate, shall we?"

* * *

><p><strong>Grimmauld Place<strong>

The celebration of Ron and Hermione's new Prefect status was uplifting. All of the Weasleys were in attendance, including Bill and Charlie. The only one who wasn't there was Percy of course. Fred and George had been bartering with Mundungus Fletcher for Venomous Tentacula seeds, which was quite obviously illegal. Archer was in the midst of the festivities with the eldest Weasleys, regaling them on the pranks he managed to pull on their younger brothers which they found incredibly amusing. Mrs. Weasley was of course dealing with the adults while trying to convince Bill to finally cut his hair. A losing battle since the Gringotts employee would not budge on the subject. Sirius, Tonks, Kingsley, and Lupin were all enjoying butterbeer and regaling stories of Prefects in their own days as well as why they had never received the badge or about people they knew who did. Moody had even dropped by, but wasn't in a very celebrative mood. Instead, he mentioned how authority figures attracted trouble and how Dumbledore must have felt the pair could handle most jinxes and spells if they were selected as Prefects. Hermione seemed to be in some of the highest spirits anyone had seen her in while Ron was regaling on the broom he'd hoped he could convince his parents to buy him.

Harry himself milled in his own corner with an untouched butterbeer in his hands. Next to him was of course Saber whom was eyeing everyone and making sure that nothing too rough occurred. Neither of them seemed half as upbeat as everyone else. For Saber, that was a regular state for him since he rarely seemed to show any sort of emotion beyond his fierce loyalty for Harry. For the scarred boy on the other hand…

"Something troubles you Master?" asked Saber, noting Harry's depression. "You do not seem to be as excited for your friends as the others do."

"I am," Harry insisted, although his argument was weak. He continued to stare out at the group of partiers who were enjoying the large amounts of food and butterbeer. Archer had somehow managed to liberate some firewhiskey from…somewhere and was sharing it with the eldest Weasley sons as he regaled them of his prank which turned Fred and George's heads to a sticky and feathery mess. "I just…"

"You feel disappointed that it was not you to be selected as a Prefect," Saber finished.

Harry grimaced slightly. Despite knowing each other for a short time compared to everyone else in the room, Saber seemed to be the most adept at reading his feelings and getting to the source of the problem. Perhaps it was how he was focused on serving Harry and had nothing else but that task on his mind. That or perhaps knowing how dark the knight could be just in looks alone, he had experience with the same emotions Harry felt and recognized the signs of someone experiencing them. Heaving a sigh, Harry nodded, "Yes."

"Hm," Saber nodded, seeing his guess was right. "Do you recall my advice on that night we first met?"

"Speaking about a problem helps make it better? I remember," Harry nodded. Looking to the partygoers, he heaved another sigh. "I guess I was just too preoccupied with the investigation to remember that Prefect badges were going out. To be honest, I had kind of expected one to go to me. After all of the things I've done, fought against, and achieved ever since coming to Hogwarts, I thought that I would have been selected in a heartbeat."

"Instead, you were overlooked and the position given to someone who while worked aside you for much of those adventures, hadn't done the things you have," Saber added.

"Yeah," Harry nodded. "Does it make me arrogant to think I deserved it?"

"Hardly," Saber answered. "You deserve to take pride in what you have done. Fighting against an incredibly dangerous dark mage, protecting an immensely powerful artefact, slaying a giant serpent, defeating a horde of those wraiths, and winning an incredibly dangerous tournament are all things which anyone would feel proud of doing. Arrogance would have you believe that you were entitled to riches and privileges for doing those things even years afterwards. Instead you feel these events qualified your for a position which entails protecting the peace as well as others. There's nothing wrong in believing you were capable of filling the role."

Those statements made Harry feel better, knowing he wasn't getting full of himself like Draco Malfoy was. Harry didn't really want too much attention for the admittedly dangerous things he had done in the past. Knowing he did the right thing certainly helped and some of the thanks he received from the people he helped made it feel good. If Malfoy even had half the guts needed to do those things, he would have milked them for all they were worth. Harry had just wanted a little bit of appreciation for what he did rather than it all being forgotten by the next year.

"For whatever it may be worth though Master," Saber continued. "I think you would have made a fine Prefect."

"Thanks," Harry smiled weakly.

"Think nothing of it Master," Saber nodded. Looking back to the rest of the partygoers, he spotted some of them glancing at the two. "Now, shall we actually attend this celebration and enjoy it rather than stew in disappointment? It will worry your friends if we do not."

"Good point," Harry agreed, feeling some good cheer leak into his body at long last. "Can't be a mood killer, now can we?"

"Indeed we cannot."

* * *

><p><strong>Kings Cross Station-September 1<strong>**st**

"Get a move on Shirou! I don't want to miss the train!"

"Yes Rin."

Moving through the regular masses of people were a particular trio of people whom stood out in their own ways, but remained rather unnoticed save for a second glance. A girl in red with two ponytails, a second girl who walked like nobility despite her slight frame and plain dress, and a red-haired young man who seemed to be carrying enough luggage on a trolley for three people. Rin was of course in the lead, guiding both Arturia and Shirou towards the platform in which they needed to find in order to travel to their new place of employment. Arturia, while a native from Britain's past, followed Rin's lead since she wasn't quite experienced with the public transport system. Shirou meanwhile was delegated to luggage duty since Rin was being their guide and he really didn't want to have to trouble Arturia with something like this, especially when her gaze was being pulled towards all of the sights to see in the train station.

In the days since accepting her new position as Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher of Hogwarts, Rin had prepared herself most diligently for the role despite her initial reluctance. She wrote up numerous lesson plans, a luxury she didn't usually have when she became Shirou's teacher. She wrote out her entire curriculum and presented it to Dumbledore for his approval, which seemed to delight the venerable headmaster on her desire to do her absolute best. She selected some of the best books which were available to students in Clock Tower as part of her course material and had read through them herself before making her choice. She had even went so far as to write in Shirou and Arturia's specialty in combating evil with their own unique talents so they could call themselves assistants rather than freeloaders. Despite knowing she would be losing out on a whole year with Clock Tower, Rin was determined to get the most out of her new position as well as see what she could learn from the famous school herself.

Dumbledore had offered to let the trio arrive with the help of floo powder, but their residence did not have a fireplace to begin with and Rin wanted to see if she could get a feel on the kinds of children she would have to deal with once the school year started so she volunteered to let the group take the train to Hogwarts.

"So the platform we will depart from is called Nine and…Three Quarters?" asked Arturia, some curiosity in her voice.

"Ridiculous name, I know but that's the platform which we need to get to," Rin nodded. "Dumbledore said we can find it between platforms Nine and Ten."

"Just how on Earth did they manage to hide a train platform between two other platforms?" asked Shirou in fascination.

"From what I read on the place, there is actually some space between the two," Rin answered, absently checking the platform numbers. "What they did was create a Bounded Field between the two before enlarging the space between into an area wide enough build another platform complete with a train. The barrier allows the space to exist without overflowing into the rest of the station. Everything else is hidden under illusionary magic that makes sure normal people don't notice."

"Sort of like how Caster created her territory at Ryuudou Shrine?" asked Shirou.

"I suppose it's similar in a way, but a whole lot smaller, nowhere near as powerful, and certainly not unrestricted like her territory had been," Rin nodded before her eyes snapped down at Shirou. "And don't mention her again."

"Sorry. Couldn't help it," Shirou sighed. He didn't like mentioning the witch either, but it couldn't be avoided for the sake of the question.

The group managed to get past several groups of people, noticeably some who had odd luggage with them such as owls in cages or bundles of what appeared to be robes. It didn't take anyone who was in the know to realize that they were Hogwarts students and their families coming to board the train as well. Soon enough, Rin, Arturia, and Shirou had reached the area between platforms Nine and Ten. Rather than seeing an entry into the platform they needed, all they found was a stone divider.

"Is this where we're supposed to go?" asked Shirou.

"From what I was told," Rin nodded. "This has to be the place. I can feel the magic in the air. With so many magical students likely there already, I'm surprised you haven't already sensed it Shirou." The Tohsaka heir glanced back at her lover/apprentice. "You're the bloodhound when it comes to sensing magic like us, aren't you?"

"Well," Shirou frowned, staring at the divider. "Now that you mention it, yeah I do. It's really subtle though. Whoever put the security around this place knew what they were doing. If I wasn't looking for it, I don't think I would have even noticed."

"Thus the merits of paying attention," Rin nodded. "Now come on. I don't want to be late."

Shirou subtly rolled his eyes but complied. The trio approached the barrier to see how they would be able to enter the platform. Rin eyed the secret entrance before she spoke once again, "Okay, Dumbledore's instructions said that we can just pass right through this barrier as if it wasn't there." She glanced over at Shirou. "Okay Shirou, you go first." Both Shirou and Arturia mentally sighed at Rin's order since it was simply her way of testing the headmaster's claim without looking stupid. Shirou knew, but he didn't begrudge Rin any hard feelings. She had a lot of pride and he could always get back at her later during one of their 'prana exchange rituals' anyway.

Steeling himself, Shirou steered the cart to aim at the stone barrier. For the sake of confidence, he tried picturing the barrier not being there. Taking a breath, he pushed the cart towards the barrier without stopping. The brick wall loomed closer and the front of the cart collided with it. Rather than feel the jarring impact though, the trolley just phased through the bricks like they weren't there, allowing Shirou to follow. Coming through the opposite side, the redhead found himself on a train platform which he hadn't seen from the outside. Glancing back, the brick wall was gone in favour of an iron archway which had the sign 'Platform Nine and Three Quarters' on it.

"Sugoi," Shirou breathed. He really shouldn't have been impressed, not after all of the things he had seen in the Grail War and Clock Tower, but he was just the same.

A moment later, Rin and Arturia came through as well. The King of Knights gazed at everything in awe, once again reminded of her old advisor Merlin despite knowing that the old wizard never even heard of a train, much less touched one. It was the feeling in the air which made her think of him, much like in Diagon Alley. Rin on the other hand looked at her surroundings much like an art critic would look at a painting. She was obviously impressed with how the platform was hidden so subtly despite how elaborate and showy it appeared to be, but was trying not to show it, "Not bad."

The platform was alive with bustling activity as students and their families said their goodbyes, were boarding the train, or were just arriving with a fair amount of luggage to load up. Owls were hooting irritably at all the jostling and noise around them. Multitudes of cats were dashing around the area, poking their noses into everything. Some were even pawing at the irritable owls, which just made them shriek even louder than before. There were even some toads croaking loudly from the places where their masters kept them safe. Floo stations were ablaze with emerald fire as more wizarding families poured through with their luggage, making for a very crowded scene. At the centre of it all was a polished red and black steam engine with several cars just waiting to be filled.

"No time for gawking!" Rin barked, slapping Shirou's shoulder to catch his attention. "We're going to sit in the first car. That's where all the Prefects and faculty can sit."

"Right," Shirou nodded, steering his cart towards the first of the ruby cars. As the trio walked, he noticed Arturia still watching everything in rapt fascination. "It's pretty cool, isn't it Saber?"

"Yes," the blonde 'king' nodded absently. "I can barely fathom the amount of magic needed to create and maintain a place such as this. The feeling I get when I see it all…it reminds me of Camelot in a way. Despite the conveniences here which my kingdom did not, I still cannot help but be reminded of it all."

"Hopefully the good memories," Shirou smiled, knowing that his lover's reign wasn't exactly a smooth or peaceful one all the time.

"Many good ones," Arturia nodded with a faint smile, looking at Shirou with obvious warmth in her eyes.

Managing to get through the crowds and reaching the first train car, the group began to unload their things. Each was laid down with their own bags (and some of Rin's) before the group boarded the train and searched for an empty compartment that they could occupy. It didn't take long since the Prefects weren't nearly as numerous as the rest of the student body of Hogwarts. Finding that empty compartment that they wanted, they quickly shuffled their luggage into the storage compartment before claiming their seats.

"So what do you think Hogwarts is like," asked Shirou, seating himself opposite of Rin and Arturia.

"It's hailed as one of the best magical schools in the country for children ranging from the ages of eleven to seventeen," Rin shrugged. "I would hope that everyone there is professional as a teacher should be."

"Do you think it would be similar to Clock Tower?" asked Arturia.

"Probably not," Rin answered. "Remember, their style of magic is completely different from ours. There's bound to be some major differences between the two."

The trio began to move through small talk as they waited for the train to set out. Naturally all three of them were rather excited about going, but for different reasons. Rin was excited since it meant she could expand her horizons and she had to admit that she was fond of teaching at this point in her life. Shirou was anticipating Hogwarts since it meant he could see how a completely different school of magic operated and maybe he could pick up a thing or two himself. Finally, Arturia was excited mainly because she wished to explore what this side of the magical world had to offer. They revered her old advisor and she was interested to see what he had influenced even centuries after his death.

Thoughts of the new Grail War hadn't even entered their minds.

* * *

><p>It had been somewhat of a hassle for Harry, Ron, and Hermione to get to the Hogwarts Express, but they managed it. They felt somewhat crowded since so many members of the Order had seen fit to escort them, or more accurately Harry, to the train. Even Sirius had come in his animagus form to see Harry off. Moody had dressed himself up as a porter of all things as he helped move the luggage to the train proper. It served to make Harry feel a bit crowded, but also thankful that Saber and Archer were able to astralize themselves so not to be a nuisance. Saber of course was sticking close to Harry like always while Archer hovered over Hermione like a guardian angel, not that Harry could see the green-clad redhead.<p>

Saying hello to some of the familiar faces on the platform, the group had boarded the train and began waving to their friends and allies. The train soon let off and everyone made the last goodbyes. Among them was Sirius as he actually chased the train much like a normal dog might try. It served to raise Harry's spirits to at least have one of the remaining members of his family see him off at the Hogwarts Express.

"He really shouldn't have come with us," Hermione sighed at Sirius' display with worry. Sirius was a wanted fugitive in both magical and muggle society after all.

"Lay off Hermione," Ron sighed. "He hasn't seen daylight in months, the poor guy."

Seeing Hermione already beginning to build up steam to make her argument how Sirius was safer at Grimmauld Place, George took the opportunity to clap his hands and get their attention. "Well, an't stand here chatting all day. We've got business with Lee to attend to." With that, he and Fred disappeared down the corrider.

"Well," Harry spoke, hefting his luggage up. "Shall we find a compartment."

At the words, Hermione and Ron both began to fidget. That was never a good sign. Ron began trying to speak, but the words were not coming to him apparently. Hermione seemed just as reluctant to speak if the way she was biting her lip was any indication, but she managed to do it faster than Ron, "We're…well…Ron and I are supposed to report to the Prefect cart."

"Oh," Harry nodded, feeling a slight sting. "That's fine."

"I don't think we'll have to be there for the whole journey," Hermione quickly amended. "Our letters just told us that we were supposed to receive instructions from the Head Boy and Girl and patrol the corridors from time to time."

"Okay," Harry nodded. "I…I suppose I'll see you later."

"Sorry mate," Ron offered weakly. "I'm not too happy about this either. Not like Percy would be. I'd rather be here with you."

"I know," Harry nodded. Ron and Hermione made small nods before taking their luggage and heading towards the front end of the train. Meanwhile Harry was just struck with an odd sense of loss. He hadn't ever travelled to Hogwarts without at least Ron before. He knew was being at least a little silly, but the train just suddenly didn't feel like the usually reassuring journey anymore.

"Come on," Ginny spoke up. "If we get a move on we can save them some spaces."

"Right," Harry nodded, grabbing Hedwig's cage and his luggage. Both he and the youngest Weasley began moving through the cars, looking for available space and found nothing. However, it didn't escape notice that while they passed, the students would begin whispering to one another while stealing glances at him. It served to remind Harry of all of the scathing articles the Prophet was writing, painting him as an attention-seeking brat. It made him begin to wonder if many of them believed it or not. Having Ginny and Saber made it feel a little better though.

It didn't stop that twisting sensation in his gut though.

* * *

><p>"Bloody hate this," Ron grumbled as he and Hermione finally reached the front car.<p>

"I know Ron, but we have a responsibility as Prefects to do this," Hermione sighed, clearly not liking the situation any more than her redhead friend did. "We probably won't have to do much during the trip anyway. Once the Head Boy and Girl give us our instructions then we'll just have to do a few patrols before we can meet up with Harry again."

"Yeah, yeah," Ron nodded. "Just wish I knew why I got picked anyway. Harry's done loads more stuff than me. You were a shoo-in for sure, but I think everyone in our year would be sure that Harry would have been the first choice." Ron had made it no secret in the past that he didn't hold the Prefect position in any high regard. Likely because he had to deal with his brother Percy being such a stickler for the rules and how stuck-up he could be about it. The only reasons he likely hadn't turned the position down was because he was getting a new broom out of it and if he did turn the position down then his mother likely wouldn't have let him hear the end of it.

"I'm sure there was a good reason," Hermione commented, wondering the same thing since she heard the news. "Merlin knows he has enough on his plate as it is though."

"True," Ron agreed as they passed into the front car.

As Hermione stepped across the threshold of the car, her hand suddenly lit up in a warm sensation. Paling as she recalled the feeling before Archer and Saber began their brutal battle, she glanced down to see her remaining two Command Spells glowing bright red, lighting what few shadows there were. Gulping, she realized that another Servant was nearby. Stopping from entering the car further, she glanced at Archer whom had lost his carefree looks and had generated his bow from nowhere again. "Archer? Is Saber nearby?"

"_No,_" The bowman replied, crushing Hermione's hopes that the black knight had decided to follow for some reason. "_There's a different Servant nearby._"

"Hermione?" asked Ron, noticing that his friend hadn't followed him into the car. "You alright?"

"Um…" Hermione began, but noticed Archer shaking his head. He didn't think Ron needed to know why she was so nervous. "I just…think I forgot something."

"Oh. Well Mum can just send it to us if you write her," Ron shrugged. "Now let's go find a compartment. I want to put our stuff down before the Head Boy or Head Girl begin bossing us around."

"R-right," Hermione muttered, beginning to move. She looked at Archer desperately who was already beginning to move to the other end of the train ahead of her. She silently wondered where the knight of the bow was going. As if hearing her thoughts though, he turned back to face his Master.

"_I'm going to investigate the train and on top of the cars in case this Servant is trying to be sneaky,_" Archer spoke. "_You get to Harry and get Saber to investigate the other cars. Don't act suspicious though. No one besides Harry knows you're a master. As long as you keep your Command Spells hidden then no one will be able to tell. Now get going!"_

Nodding, Hermione glanced at Ron who was staring into one of the compartments. Steeling herself, she captured his attention, "Ron, I think I left one of my bags with Harry by accident. Do you think you can move my things to an empty compartment."

"Right, sure," Ron nodded absently, reaching blindly for Hermione's trunk. "I'll meet you ahead then."

"Thanks," Hermione nodded before she turned and began heading in the opposite direction of the Prefect car. She needed to find Harry and Saber before whatever Servant was on the train decided to stop playing the stealth game and go on the assault!

* * *

><p>Assassin cursed her Master's stupidity as she concealed herself at the very back of the train, actually compressing herself in the canopy which was placed above the door at the back of the last train car. Her Presence Concealment would allow her to remain undetected, but it didn't do her much good if she didn't have much space to hide herself! She was lucky enough to find her hiding place as it was with all of the children running about and taking up every available space that she could have used. Of course, the imbecile hadn't considered that when he told her to make herself scarce right there in the middle of the train station. Astralization was out of the question since she couldn't use her Presence Concealment while in that state of being and since she spotted Servants boarding the train it would be foolish to try. So she had to remain in her corporeal form and hidden within such a confining space. The space itself wasn't the problem since she had dealt with worse during her life, but Allah forbid her spoiled aristocrat of a Master have some common sense!<p>

After the train finally began leaving the bustling city behind for the open countryside, Assassin unfolded herself from her hiding place. Landing on the metal grating of the rear section of the car, she quickly took stock of her situation. She needed to keep hidden and get back to where her Master was riding. Spotting an iron ladder which would take her to the top of the cars, she grasped the rungs and climbed up. She was still wide open, but unless someone actually looked on top of the cars then she wouldn't be spotted. Still using her Presence Concealment would prevent the Masters and possible sensitive Servants from finding her as well.

Climbing to the top, she began scaling the distance from the rear car to the front car. The wind hardly bothered her, the Protection from Wind skill she possessed allowing her to anticipate the force of the wind and adjust accordingly. Her hair brushed against her mask, but again she ignored it in favour of her objective. Crawling on all fours, she made her way towards her goal.

* * *

><p>Rin frowned deeply as her Command Spells began to glow brightly, the gazes of Shirou and Arturia snapped to the markings as they entered their combat frames of mind.<p>

"Another Servant, here?" Arturia frowned deeply.

"But the only ones on the train are us and the students," Shirou commented, already reaching a conclusion.

"Which means that at least one of the students is likely a Master or a Servant going to try and drain the students to supplement their power," Rin spoke, voicing the conclusion that all three had come to. Looking to her lover and co-lover, she began using her tactical mind once again. "Saber, keep an eye out in case the Servant is astalized. You don't look like a Servant right now so they may disregard you as a civilian. If you spot them, let me know."

"I'll patrol the other cars," Shirou volunteered. "If the Servant is using magic, I'll be able to hunt them down. There's only so much space on this train to use so they'll be easy to find."

"Right" Rin agreed. "I'll take the front end. Shirou will take the back and Arutia will handle the middle. Send a signal if you spot the Servant and for Kami's sake, be careful!"

"Right," the blonde and redhead nodded before they quickly exited the compartment and towards their designated positions.

* * *

><p>The sudden situation was not lost on Luna Lovegood. As per the norm every year, she arrived at the Hogwarts Express and said her goodbyes to her daddy before boarding. Quickly finding an empty compartment, she pulled out the latest issue of The Quibbler and set in to enjoy a long and perhaps silent ride. Caster was with her of course in his astralized form, but he respected the concept of having silence while she read and thus offered his companionship. It was greatly appreciated since almost nobody wanted to sit with 'Loony' Lovegood while her friends usually sat with other groups. Caster's presence and loyalty as her Servant was making for a strong friendship of the sometimes spacey girl.<p>

As the train got moving however, her Command Spells began to glow, indicating that another Servant was approaching. Seeing the red markings' light, she silently looked up from her magazine to see that Caster had likewise stiffened, knowing what it meant.

"Caster, would you be so kind as to hide yourself?" she asked politely. "I don't want any violence breaking out on this trip."

"_Of course my lady,_" Caster nodded. Standing up, he sank back into the wall behind him, vanishing into the next compartment over which was quite full. Were it anyone else but a Servant, neither the Master or the Servant would have bothered. As it was, they both knew that Servants could see each other even when they were astralized. With one approaching, they would have spotted Caster without much trouble and that would have just made the situation worse. With Caster hiding elsewhere, Luna tucked her marked hand into her sleeve to best hide it from view. It was a moment too soon as she saw figures outside of her compartment. The door made the usual clattering noise before Luna spied one of her friends.

"Hello Luna," the familiar face of Ginny Weasley greeted. "Is it alright if we take these seats?"

Naturally, Luna didn't mind and nodded. Smiling her thanks, Ginny entered with none other that Neville Longbottom and Harry Potter behind her. She naturally knew who the two boys were right off the bat. Neville was considered perhaps one of the clumsiest students Hogwarts ever had. The things he had broken and the number of accidents he had were quite numerous. Although, he had a growing reputation with the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs associated with his love of herbology. He was quite good at it as it turned out.

Harry Potter of course needed no explanation. Everybody knew him from his exploits since his famous encounter with You-Know-Who. He had been making waves in Hogwarts ever since he arrived as well. The Heir of Slytherin fiasco, the Sirius Black incident, and even the Triwizard Tournament had all had him right in the middle of it. Recently the Daily Prophet had been on a horrendous smear campaign against him and Dumbledore for daring to suggest the Dark Lord had returned. Luna of course never read that rag since she knew that a lethal blow didn't quite mean a killing one if her mothers notes on certain subjects were true.

Luna considered herself a decent judge of character so as the boys entered and made themselves comfortable, she just stared at Harry so she could get a good reading out of him. He seemed uncomfortable, but that was a given since it was reported that he didn't like being the centre of attention despite what that Malfoy boy would say. Her own means of relaxing while she read may have had something to do with it but it didn't cross her mind. She did notice however that he was taking pains to keep his hand hidden underneath the sleeve of his rather large shirt but at the same time was fiddling with it. Odd. A nervous reflex or perhaps something more considering she had a Servant not one compartment over.

"Have a good summer Luna?' asked Ginny, complete at ease in her presence.

"Yes. It was quite enjoyable," Luna replied, still staring at Harry. "You're Harry Potter," she added as almost an afterthought.

"I know I am," the bespectacled boy nodded.

Luna accepted the answer and looked to Neville, "I don't quite know who you are."

"Oh, I'm no one," Neville answered shyly.

"No you're not," Ginny admonished the older boy. " Neville Longbottom , Luna Lovegood. Luna's in my year, but she's in Ravenclaw."

"_Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure,_" Luna suddenly sang out. She had really just felt like it, but it was also supposed to be something to help the nervous boy feel better. She had thought that singing it out would be a bit nicer than simply saying it. The little tune was something that many Ravenclaws would say to themselves when they were bored and needed a little something to liven things up if only a little.

It only served to give her stares from the boys. That was okay though. They would get it eventually. Sooner or later they'd learn just how important it was to have a strong mind in today's learned that lesson sooner or later.

Now if only she could see why Harry was fiddling with his hand.

* * *

><p>Archer frowned as he walked slowly to the front of the train car. Of all of the places for another Servant to show up, it had to be on a train with very little room to fight and backed with children. Either the Servant was an idiot (unlikely since stupid people never would become heroes) or the Master was an idiot who forced the Servant to just show up like this. Still, the issue remained that a Servant besides Saber was on the train and Archer very much doubted that the Master of that Servant would be as friendly with the others as Harry and Hermione were.<p>

Reaching the front of the car with only the engine itself behind a locked door, Archer didn't let it stop him as he phased through in his astralized form. Coming through to the opposite side, he spotted the black train which had a pair of conductors inside. One was working the controls while the other looked like he was moving a steady stream of coal out of a burlap satchel and into the train's furnace just by using his wand.

'_Magi can be so lazy sometimes,_' the redhead sighed to himself before he looked to see if he had enough room to simply leap onto the train car roof. Glancing back at the train crew to make sure they were distracted, Archer seized the opportunity and solidified himself before leaping straight up and landing on the car roof.

"Woah!"

Archer's outcry was how he had intended to land at the beginning of the roof, but had neglected to remember that the train was moving at the same time and had instead landed in the middle of it. Landing hard, his balance was slightly off from the winds lashing at his back. He was able to adapt quickly enough, but he wasn't used to moving at these kinds of speeds. After regaining his equilibrium, Archer readied his bow and took out one of his silver arrows. Notching it back, he prepared himself for anything. The smoke was thick so close to the engine, stinging his eyes but he simply hunched over slightly so he could get some better breathing air.

"Okay…where are you?" Archer frowned, slowly travelling the length of the car.

Emerging from the worst of the smoke, Archer noticed that there was a black mass at the opposite end of the train which was slowly getting larger. If it weren't for the fact that he wasn't in the smoke anymore and the black was against the red of the cars, it was likely he wouldn't have noticed before stepping right on top of it. With nothing to obstruct his vision and the target exposed as it was, the knight of the bow could clearly see what he was dealing with. The black skin, the lack of any kind of presence, the white skull mask, it all pointed to one Servant.

"Assassin!" Archer bellowed drawing back his arrow before letting it fly.

The female Assassin naturally had seen Archer when he had leaped onto the top of the train, but she had absolutely no means of concealing herself, meaning her Presence Concealment skill was going to be of no help whatsoever. Again, she cursed her Master for his idiocy in dragging her onto the train with him. She had pondered using the smoke to conceal herself but the Servant had already cleared it and spotted her advancing. Knowing she would not be able to escape without a fight, she drew her daggers and prepared herself.

Seeing the bowman, likely Archer, unleash his bolt caused her to get her feet beneath her before flipping backwards, letting the bolt penetrate the roof and wedge itself in. Landing on her feet, she saw Archer take a stronger position before notching back another arrow, this one bright green. Assassin's eyes narrowed in thought as she tried to consider her options. Archer was in an advantageous position and while she herself was no stranger to long-range combat, her skill set was more adjusted to medium to short range combat.

The green arrow flew and was quickly followed by more. Assassin cursed under her breath as she dipped and dived to avoid them. The wind was actually working in her favour since they were offsetting Archer's aim, but not enough to give her a window of opportunity. Dipping under one green arrow, she rolled to avoid a second which stuck to the car roof where her head had been. A potent stench quickly rose to her nostrils indicating that the arrow was covered with a substance, likely a poisonous one. The female Hashashin leader eyed the projectile for a second before grasping the arrow and pulling it out of the roof. Taking the point, she jabbed it into her arm, allowing the poison to leak into her blood stream. The slight pain she felt was nothing compared to the benefits she would receive from this action.

"Huh?" Archer blinked, watching Assassin's odd tactic. Did she actually stab herself with one of his poisoned arrows? Not even the craziest opponents in his lifetime had done something like that before. Something was up. "So much for the slow approach." Drawing several more of his metal arrows, he notched one into his bow and drew back for another shot.

Meanwhile, Assassin could actually feel the poison of the green arrow pool in her veins before attacking her body. She hadn't felt this particular poison before, but now her body would remember it. Looking to Archer, she saw him preparing another arrow to fire at her. Narrowing her eyes, she charged forward towards her enemy with her daggers ready to pierce flesh. Archer welcomed the challenge by firing his arrow before quickly reloading to fire once again. Assassin tracked the attacks with her eyes, already seeing how the wind was affecting Archer's aim. He obviously wasn't used to being at such wind speeds which worked in Assassin's favour.

Dodging the first of the arrows, Assassin reached the gap between the fourth and third cars, slipping into the open space and allowing the remaining arrows to miss her. The path clear once again, she leaped up and captured the roof of the third car before pulling herself up to her feet. Taking her daggers, she threw both of them at Archer's painfully clear form. Since she had Protection from Wind, she was unaffected by the speeds and her weapons were just as unaffected. She just needed to put sufficient force behind the blows, which she had plenty of.

Archer bit back a curse as he dove to the train roof in order to avoid the daggers. How she managed to throw them hard enough to outmatch a speeding train he didn't know. Still, the longer he didn't keep shooting at her than the more time she had to reach him. Struggling to his feet again, he drew one of his trusty red arrows. Loading it, he gazed at Assassin's approaching form, seeing that she had already reached the gap between the third and second cars. Cursing, he let the arrow fly with hopes of splattering the woman's head and eliminating her. It was not to be as the black-skinned woman leaped over the arrow, landing on the second car before continuing her advancement.

"Blast this wind!" Archer growled as he drew more metal arrows. He fired them off so rapidly it was almost as if he were a machine rather than a man. As quickly as he could fire them though, Assassin was proving to have inhumane grace and flexibility as she dipped and dived around the arrows. It was almost as if she were dancing if one were to compare her movements to anything. Were she not obviously a highly trained killer, her movements could almost be called erotic.

Doing the splits underneath one such arrow, Assassin threw another of her daggers. The shot forced Archer to dive for the side to avoid taking the attack in his head. He recovered quickly enough, but it gave Assassin the time she needed to reach the gap between the second and first cars, bringing her into her preferred combat zone. Drawing another dagger, she leaped the distance between herself and the green-clad Servant with the intent of killing him. Rearing his arm back, she prepared for the strike…

CLANG!

The dagger collided with Archer's bow. Assassin's eyes narrowed again with a nearly serpentine hiss coming out of her mouth but the fight wasn't over yet. Archer only smirked before looking to his bow, drawing the female Assassin's eyes to the same source. Loaded on the bow with the string drawn back was another of the bowman's red arrows just begging to be shot.

"This'll be painful," Archer grinned. "But it'll hurt you a lot more than it will hurt me!" His taunt made, Archer fired the bow once again. Like before, Assassin showed just how flexible she was by leaning backwards so deeply that her ponytail began to touch her heels. The arrow of course missed and flew wide before coming back down on the fourth car and exploded, shaking the entire train slightly. Archer cursed before backing up and drawing his own dagger. Why couldn't it ever be easy?

* * *

><p>Harry's nervousness over knowing there was another Servant on the train kept him fidgeting with his sleeves and looking to Saber who was standing guard at the door. Ginny and Neville had kept asking him repeatedly as to what he seemed to upset about but he kept making feeble excuses so not to worry his friends. He only wished that Saber would bloody well say something so he would know what to do about the situation.<p>

His nervousness only grew when he heard sounds which came out as 'thunks' from the roof. Of course, no one paid them any mind but something in Harry's gut told him that it was only the beginning. Perhaps it was a survival instinct which had been carved out from surviving his relatives as well as all of the situations he got into at Hogwarts, but Harry had learned to listen to it lest he deal with critical injuries if not outright death.

The explosion which had people poking their heads out the windows to see a smoking crater on the tracks only confirmed it.

Neville became quite worried and was looking about with a pale face. Ginny had drawn her wand and was watching the corridor for anything which would even give a hint of trouble Luna seemed as untroubled by the events as she was by everything else. Harry himself feared that Archer had found the other Servant and was starting to fight him or her. He really wanted to ask Saber his opinion, but he couldn't risk exposing the black knight to more people than he already had.

The next explosion made that decision even harder to stand by.

Several students screamed and poured into the hallways. Ginny, Harry, and astralized Saber, and Neville dashing into the corridor to find several younger students running like they had the dogs of hell on their heels. Harry and Ginny dashed to the group to make sure that everyone was unharmed.

"What the bloody hell happened?" asked the female Weasley as she approached the group.

"I think some kind of bloody bomb went off!" one of the students gasped. "Took out the corner of our compartment. We could see the bloody sky through the roof!"

"I am not getting back in there!" whined a girl.

Harry and Ginny quickly tried to calm the younger students down with Neville trying to help out in his own way. Behind them though, Luna stayed within her compartment, but had set her magazine down. She only had to wait a moment before Caster reappeared before her.

"_Shall we do something?_" he asked politely, but expectantly.

"Yes," Luna nodded. "Please see to whoever is causing such a ruckus. They are putting us all at risk with their antics. There will be plenty of time to fight at Hogwarts."

"_Your will be done,_" Caster nodded before he leaped straight up and through the ceiling of the compartment.

"Thank-you Caster," Luna spoke absently as she reached for her magazine again.

* * *

><p>The armoured Caster emerged through the roof of the train car and stood on the top before turning solid again. His green furred cloak whipped wildly in the air from the speeds of the train, but he remained unbothered by the whipping winds. He was heavy enough to not be bothered by such things in his outfit. Drawing his axe, he looked to the front of the train to where two figures were clashing. One was obviously Assassin if the dark skin and the skull mask were any indication. The other one was a green-clad man with red hair whom he assumed to be Archer if the bow he was holding was any indication. Both were clashing with daggers while Archer was using his bow as a shield and a blunt weapon at the same time. The two were in a close range battle with one another with Archer clearly on the defensive since he seemed more used to long-range combat as his class suggested.<p>

"As much as I loathe doing this, this battle will have to end," Caster spoke to himself. He really would have preferred it if the other Servants took each other out. Still, he had his orders. Raising his axe into the air, he waved it in a circle as the emeralds embedded into its surface began to shine. In response, the sky became thick with dark clouds which began rumbling with thunder just waiting to be unleashed. A particularly vicious crash echoed through the air before rain fell in large wet drops. The moisture beaded on his armour and soaked his cloak but did little to bother the knight as he began to approach the two Servants.

Assassin and Archer both took notice over the sudden change in weather and quickly deduced that it wasn't natural. It was Archer who noticed the approaching green knight first since Assassin had her back to the man. "Aw shit."

Caster didn't mince words as he raised his axe with the glowing gemstones into the air once again. This time he brought it down, pointing at the pair of Servants. This time the sky crackled angrily once again before a bolt of lightning crashed down from the sky towards both Archer and Assassin. The two only had a heartbeat to dodge, but for Servants such as them that was long enough. Both dove to the ground, sliding slightly on the slippery roof before the electricity crashed overhead and hit the ground next to the train, making it shake once more. The cries of the children could be heard within, already nervous about the earlier explosions.

Archer blinked the light out of his eyes and quickly drew an arrow before looking towards the enemy, "Well, I think it's safe to say that you're no Berserker or Lancer."

"Yes. I am Caster" the knight nodded as he continued to approach. He then raised his axe again while the sky crackled ominously. "Be so kind as to disappear, would you?"

Archer bit back another curse as he prepared to fire.

* * *

><p>Arturia had been patrolling the middle cars when she began hearing the explosions at the far end. Fearing for Shirou as well as the safety of the many children on board, she began to run towards where the commotion was occurring. She had just reached the third car when the weather quite suddenly changed to a powerful thunderstorm. When the thunder struck so close to the train that it caused the entire train to shake and frighten the children even more she quickly came to the conclusion that Servants had met and were now fighting on top of the train.<p>

Dashing into the gap between the second and third cars, Arturia shed her normal clothes in a flash of light for her preferred battle outfit. Gripped in her hand was Excalibur, once again shielded by the Invisible Wind. Her transformation complete, she leaped into the oncoming rain and wind before landing down on top of the train cars. The wind made her dress whip wildly, but she paid it no mind as she took in the situation.

A green Archer and an obvious Assassin were crouched down slightly and ready to move in a moment's notice. In front of them however and getting closer was a man covered from head to toe in green armour, wore a green cloak made of fur, and wielded an axe embedded with emeralds which were glowing brightly even in the darkened skies of the storm. For many, it was just what it looked like. A green suit of armour to show perhaps allegiance to someone or their own idea for decoration. For Arturia though…

"YOU!" she bellowed, catching the attention of the three Servants.

Turing around, the green knight eyed the female King and once could almost feel the grin that overcame his face, "Ah! Your majesty! How good of you to join us! I was wondering when you would show up. I saw your performance at the alley with Lancer. Impressive as always and with a Master who can keep up with you of all people. I should have known you would be involved in this war for the Holy Grail."

"I care NOTHING for the Holy Grail!" Arturia snapped back. "All I wish now is to make sure no one dies from the senselessness of this pointless war!"

Gripping Excalibur, Arturia charged towards Caster with her invisible weapon raised for a strike. The enemy Servant however was ready ad as Arturia made her strike, he blocked perfectly with he bejewelled axe. Blue and green sparks erupted from the impact as the magic of both items clashed against one another. Arturia didn't retreat as she brought back her sword for another strike which Caster matched once again, erupting more magic sparks.

"Do you really want to bother wasting your prana on making the sword invisible?" asked Caster as the two knights clashed. "I already know how long it is! I know what it's capable of! I know what it looks like! I even know its name! It's The Sword of Promised Victory! You can't hide it from someone who already knows it!"

"Then you should know the folly of fighting it!" Arturia snapped back, Excalibur clashing with the axe once again.

"Do I?" Caster teased. In another clash with Arturia, he used a shoulder thrust to knock her back. With some space between himself and the King of Knights, he raised his weapon in the air with the emeralds shining once again before pointing it at her. The sky responded as three bolts of lightning shot down from the sky and cut the air towards Arturia's form.

"HOOOOOOOOOOOHH!" Arturia bellowed out as she lashed out with her blade once again, striking the lightning with her weapon. Normally this would be a folly that only a fool would attempt to do. But Excalibur was anything but a normal sword. The enchanted steel crashed against the bolts of lighting and caused them to spatter and dissipate before vanishing altogether, their current interrupted. She didn't appear any worse for wear, but her eyes had narrowed dangerously as she eyed the knight in front of her.

"Marble Phantasm," she hissed. "You are capable of using Marble Phantasms?"

"Of course!" Caster nodded. "How else do you suppose I survived our first encounter?"

Arturia grimaced as she prepared for another clash. The battle had just taken a new and more dangerous turn. Marble Phantasm was the ability to manipulate nature as it should exist, rather than imposing one's own logic onto it for the desired effect. However, it meant that so long as it was possible in nature than it was certainly capable of happening with the user behind it. Earthquakes causing spires of rock to pierce someone, an influx of oxygen creating a fireball, lightning striking a particular point, a tornado rising at a certain time, or even a tidal wave just appearing, all of it was capable of occurring with a Marble Phantasm. What confused the King of Knights though was that the only ones she knew were capable of such magic were elementals like the Lady of the Lake. How was a human, who were so far removed from nature as a whole, capable of using it?

Caster dared a moment to glance over his shoulder at the other two Servants. Both were quite obviously gone since they did not want to get involved in the battle between the two knights. It was a wise decision on their part. Turning back to face Arturia, he relaxed his stance. As much as he wanted to continue the battle with someone he was positive was worthy of his blade he had his own orders to consider. "It seems we are done for now. My Master made it clear that they wished for the fighting to end. We will take this up another day." With that, Caster turned to leave.

"Wait!" Arturia cried, racing to reach Caster once again. The green knight didn't reply as he waved his axe, causing a massive front of wind to appear between them. Arturia shielded her eyes and when she managed to look around she found that her opponent was missing.

"We will fight again, King Arturia Pendragon!"Caster's voice boomed over even the train.

"I look forward to it," Arturia frowned deeply, even as the rain stopped and the sun began to peek out from the clouds. "Bertilak de Housdesert"

**To Be Continued….**

* * *

><p><strong>The Servant's Codex<strong>

(Here within are the secrets and abilities of the Servants of the 6th Holy Grail War)

**SABER**

**True Name: **Lancelot of the Lake

**Master:** Harry Potter

**Alignment:** Lawful Good

**Strength:** A+

**Mana:** B+

**Endurance:** B

**N. Phantasm:** A

**Agility:** A+

**Luck:** B-

**Class Skills:**

Magic Resistance: B

Riding: A

**Personal Skills:**

Protection of the Fairies: A

Eternal Arms Mastership: A+

**Noble Phantasms:**

**Arondight (Anti-Unit) (A++):** This Noble Phantasm is a holy sword that is the counterpart of King Arthur's Excalibur. It bears a similar design to that of Excalibur, carved with Fairy Letters to show that it was not forged by mortal hands. It is a limitless sword capable of receiving any attack without taking damage that shines much like the water of the Lake. It was given only to someone who could be exalted as the "perfect knight", the strongest, bravest and truest knight of an era, which signifies the unrivaled Lancelot out of all those who sat at the Round Table of Camelot. The sword has lost its status as a holy sword after Lancelot used it to slay several of his fellow knights who were acting as guards of the execution of Guinevere. This taint caused the sword to be reclassified as a demonic sword, rather than a holy one. Also, due to one of his legends stating Lancelot slaying a dragon, Arondight deals additional damage to Heroic Spirits who can be connected to dragons…like his former king. The downside of using this blade is that once Lancelot draws it, his other Noble Phantasms are sealed until he dismisses it.

**For Someone's Glory (Anti-Unit) (B):** is a black fog materialized from Lancelot's tradition of winning fame and glory while disguising himself in a number of his endeavors, such as when he hid his name and disguised himself to enter a horse race for the sake of his friend's honor. Combined with his armor, which completely covers his body, this ability conceals his identity and personal status. His body is enveloped in a black fog with properties similar to the Noble Phantasm Invisible Air which constantly shifts his outline like an off-focus photograph that obscures the discerning features of the armor. The mist-like illusion also causes his image to double or triple randomly, making him appear to be a hallucination, and prevents others from learning anything from him. The true use of the ability is deceive the eyes and ears of others by allowing Lancelot to take the form of other Heroic Spirits who won in various military exploits, allowing Lancelot to adopt a completely new identity and fool any and all enemies he may face.

**Knight of Honor (Anti-Unit) (A++):** This is an ability that is the embodiment of the incident where Lancelot was forced to fight Phelot unarmed, where he proved his fighting prowess by claiming victory with an elm branch. Once Lancelot grabs hold of anything that can be even remotely conceptualized as a weapon with his gauntlets and he recognizes that he wishes to wield it, it instantly gains the property of "becoming his Noble Phantasm." It allows for something as worthless as a piece of scrap iron to be turned into a demonic spear or sword capable of damaging Servants and striking legendary weapons. The item will be a D rank weapon, and if he takes another Servant's Noble Phantasm of a superior rank, its quality will be maintained while under Lancelot's control. He is able to naturally control any weapon that he wields as if it were a favorite weapon with which he specialized in and polished his skills for many years. He can make use of weaponry regardless of how it was created or its time of origin, allowing him to take control of modern weapons and machinery and greatly strengthen and modified their capabilities. Both this and For Someone's Glory are sealed off should he draw Arondight.

**Bio:**

Lancelot, known as the Knight of the Lake, had been loyal to Arturia as a Knight of the Round Table. He was one of the few individuals that Arturia viewed as a friend, and as such was privy to the secret of her true gender, as well as the nature and properties of her sword. Lancelot's downfall began when he fell in love with Arturia's queen, Guinevere. Though the king was actually a woman, Arturia had married in order to maintain the image of a stable royal family before the kingdom, and also to maintain the pretence that she was a male. Guinevere, in turn, willingly sacrificed her own life as a woman in order to preserve this ideal government.

When Lancelot and the queen began their affair, the Knight of the Lake considered fleeing Camelot with her, but his loyalty to Arturia and his sense of duty prevented him from doing so. When political enemies of the king exposed the affair, the queen was ordered to be executed. Left with little choice, Lancelot attempted to save her, killing several of his fellow knights in the process. Lancelot, who was considered the Perfect Knight, Guinevere, the queen who had made her beloved betray his duty, and Arturia the king who blamed herself for her loyal knight's despair, all suffered from the resulting fallout.

Lancelot's guilt was, ironically, compounded by Arturia's refusal to actually blame or reprimand him for his actions. He would later admit that this made him feel it impossible to atone for his sins. In his despair, Lancelot sought escape through descent into madness; thus, when he became a Heroic Spirit, he became qualified for the role of Berserker as well as Saber.

He was eventually summoned for the Fourth Grail War in Fuyuki City under the servitude of Kariya Matou. He battled savagely as Berserker against Arturia whom was summoned as Saber and had even proved himself a natural enemy to Gilgamesh, the King of Heroes. In his final battle with Arturia, he revealed his identity by catching Excalibur which was invisible, proving that he knew the exact size of the blade and thus be someone who knew Arturia in her life. He did not escape unscathed as his helmet was damaged from a previous attack before it shattered, revealing his face. Arturia was so stunned by the blow she left herself open for attack. Lancelot did not take the opportunity to unleash a killing blow for his Master's magic failed and left him stunned before Arturia struck the finishing attack. Arturia lamented her desire for the Grail so she could undo the mistakes in her life, including Lancelot's fall. The Knight of the Lake lamented how he wished his king had punished him for what he did so he could forgive himself. Lancelot died in his king's arms, finding relief from his guilt at last before fading away.

* * *

><p>AN: Okay! It's off to Hogwarts we go and already its getting violent with Servants just aching for a chance to go at one another. I hope people enjoy the Servant's Codex as well. The other Servants will be making appearances soon. I started with Saber since any Fate/Stay Night fan will be able to tell who the black knight truly is at this point. If you're an HP fan and didn't know, sorry to spoil the surprise. In the meantime though, we got Caster's name! I bet some of you know who he is already. Oh, I got Lancelot's stats from the Type-Moon wikia page so I hope they're accurate.

I also know some people are going to be a little iffy about Caster using a Marble Phantasm. Please be patient because that will be explained later on in the story.

NOTE (18/11/2012): I have revised Lancelot's statistics to better reflect his partnership with Harry as well as being Saber instead of Berserker. I actually boosted Strength and Mana because of Lancelot's status as the Perfect Knight. Because Lancelot no longer is insane like he was in the Fourth Grail War, he is able to pace himself, use enough strength or magic to get the job done rather than just wail away at something. So Strength and Mana went up because of his overwhelming skill rather than raw power like say Hercules would have had. However, I lowered his Endurance score because he isn't the maniac he was in Fate/Zero so he can't just ignore fatigue or pain as well as he could have were he Berserker. I also lowered his Luck since while he and Harry share a strong partnership and get along very well with a common goal, the Horcrux in Harry's head is causing a backlash of bad karma or whatever you'd like to call it which lowers their Luck score. If Harry didn't have it, the score would have been up in the A range. I lowered the Magic Resistance because Arturia only got an A Rank because of her dragon aspect and her heroic spirit status. Lancelot is pure human and the only reason his Magic resistance is as high as we see it is because of the ring he bears which offers him some protection from magic as well as his Class Skill. I did boost Riding though because of Lancelot being hailed as one of the best on horseback. Again, his Perfect Knight title helped with this. I passed these ideas by my Beta Reader and he gave me the green light so I applied the changes.


	8. Arrival

I do not own Harry Potter or Fate/Stay Night. Those belong to their respective creators and not me. I am not making any kind of profit from this fic and am only writing it so that all of you may enjoy it. So, here you go.

Fate/Ingens Cor

By Ten-Faced Paladin

Chapter 8: Arrival

**Café Ahnenerbe-Location Unknown**

Zelretch reclined in his chair of his favorite cafe, feeling somewhat satisfied as he did everyday he felt like he accomplished something. Of course, he didn't have to accomplish anything regular folks would call constructive to feel that way. He only had to find a means to amuse himself. With Rin heading off to teach at Hogwarts, Luvia was crowing with delight over how she managed to prove her superiority over her rival…before she heard just why Rin had shipped off, and then whipped herself up into a frenzy over it. Hogwarts was a premiere magical school and anyone who taught there was considered an expert in their field, with a few exceptions. Knowing that Rin had been selected over her had caused the blonde aristocrat to become a geyser of jealousy. Zelretch hadn't snickered so hard over her actions since she and Rin blew up most of the dorms.

Such amusing students he had.

He had received a letter from El-Melloi II only a few hours ago. The lad was off in Fuyuki City at the moment in attempts to dismantle the Great Grail and make sure that no more Holy Grail Wars would start up. That had been years ago though and it had been slow going. The black sludge from the last War was still there, and the Great Grail was made for the sheer purpose of summoning Heroic Spirits, collecting their power, and harbouring the Holy Grail so that the magic needed to grant the wish would be used properly. Naturally dismantling such a powerful artifact would be tedious and incredibly slow if one wanted to survive the experience. The irony was amusing since El-Melloi had participated in the fourth War as the Master of Rider. His letter came with news that the Great Grail had gone active again and warned to be on the lookout for Heroic Spirits appearing with a new Grail War. He was also expressing worry as to nothing weird going on in Fuyuki at the moment which would even hint at another War.

Zelretch knew otherwise, but didn't feel like telling. It seemed that only he out of the entire Magus Association knew about the Sixth Grail War happening in Britain. Then again, no one else likely considered the possibility that a true Grail War could happen anywhere else but in Fuyuki City. Not him though. He had seen Grail Wars occurring all over the world, in different times, different worlds, started by different Masters, and fought by different Servants. The power of the Kaleidoscope was handy that way. He had seen the possibility of this very War happening and found himself pleasantly surprised that it had occurred. He had to give the Einzbern boy credit for at least that much. Harnessing the power of the Heaven's Feel was a grand task for any magus, and the fact that he managed it even with the resources of some of the Ministry's most prominent families backing him up was a praise-worthy accomplishment…almost. There were of course complications and things to consider, and if this dimension was shaping up like he had foreseen in others then the Einzbern boy was likely…

* * *

><p><strong>Malfoy Manor—Lars' Room<strong>

Stewing alone in his room, Lars was pouring over his research once again. He was still researching into the behavior of the Holy Grail, and how to take hold of it once the War was complete. Being so far away from the original territory of Fuyuki City as well as the Great Grail which was a conduit of the magic as well as a possible vessel for the power might make finding the Grail itself somewhat difficult. Lars had tried to circumvent the problem by creating a Lesser Grail to use in his Confundus Ritual. Since he wasn't considered worthy to learn the Einzbern secrets to Homunculi, he had to settle for using an actual grail to make the potential vessel. It had been part of the items used in his ritual which just ended up triggering the new Grail War. It had been Lars' hope that once connecting to the Holy Grail and tricking it to descend it would see the Lesser Grail as the closest possible vessel and inhabit it. Needless to say, that plan hadn't unfolded quite like he had intended it to.

There was still one worry that Lars had which he hadn't shared with the other Death Eaters or with Voldemort. With the history of the Grail Wars he had managed to collect, he learned that it was never completely stable, with only the fourth and fifth Wars being called that when fought on traditional grounds. This War was happening an incredible distance away from the intended location and had been triggered by an attempt to force the Holy Grail to descend into their hands. So far everything seemed stable, but something in Lars' gut told him that things were anything but running smoothly and he hadn't survived as long as he had as a bastard of the Einzbern family by ignoring it.

* * *

><p><strong>Hogwarts Express<strong>

KRAK-THOOM!

The screams of the students rang through Harry's ears as he felt the train car rattle dangerously, forcing everyone to grab onto the walls or whatever was solid enough so to prevent them from falling over. The first years were terrified, with the second years not far behind them. The older students were trying to keep their cool, but it was obvious that they had no clue as to what was going on and were quickly losing their nerve. Harry himself had noticed that the sky had turned ominously dark in a matter of seconds before thunder rolled across the inky black surface. The lightning bolt that came frighteningly close to striking the train just made the situation that much worse.

"Saber?' Harry asked below the cries of the other children.

"_It is the work of a Servant Master,"_ the black knight replied ominously. "_Archer is likely already fighting them. Shall I go and assist him?_"

Harry bit his lip as he tried to get his thoughts straight. Whoever this new Servant on the train was, he could apparently control the bloody weather of all things! Archer was likely fighting him already if this was happening. Sending Saber would be a good plan, but Harry worried that there would be no one left to protect the people on the train if the Servant decided to try and use them as hostages if he were attacked by two Servants instead of one.

"Is everyone alright here?" a new voice called out.

Harry glanced to the front of the car to find a man who seemed Asian in appearance, with red hair, jeans, and a blue shirt, trying to keep his balance as he moved towards the mass of frightened children who were huddled in the middle of the hallway. His eyes were a deep brown and showed an immense worry for the people in the car. At the same time though, he was tense and looked like he was ready to fight whatever was threatening the people on the train with everything he had.

Harry suddenly thought of looking in a mirror, but he couldn't think of why.

With him though was Hermione, whom was just as unsteady on her feet thanks to all of the rocking that the train was going through. Her eyes had landed urgently on Harry, and he knew that she had wanted to warn him about the Servant which had decided to hitch a ride on the Hogwarts Express.

"Something blew a hole in one of the cars!" Ginny shouted to the older fellow as he and Hermione approached the group.

"Is everyone all right?" the bushy-haired girl gasped as she managed to spy the damage done to the last compartment.

"We're all fine," Neville nodded, though he was slightly pale due to the fright of the situation. "But I wish we knew what the bloody hell was going on."

"Kuso," the red-haired man frowned as he spotted what had happened. Harry blinked at the odd word, having never heard it before. However, his thoughts were violently interrupted when more commotion suddenly ripped through the air.

KRACK-THOOOM!

KRACK-THOOOM!

KRACK-THOOOM!

The children let out more screams as more thunder crashed through the air accompanied by three flashes of light. All of them feared that this time the train would be taken off the tracks by the newest strikes of electricity. Fortunately, the train seemed to not shake beyond the usual rattle in response to the thunder. The red-haired man grimaced and eyed everything around him, making Harry wonder if he seemed to suspect foul play rather than an act of nature like everyone else did.

"Everyone get into your compartments!" he called over the cries of the frightened students. "If any of you have space than fill up as much as you can. No one goes back into the damaged compartment. We need the corridors clear in case an evacuation is needed or personnel need to get through. Move!"

Despite not knowing just who the man was, everyone moved to obey him. Harry, Ginny, and Neville returned to their compartment with Hermione in tow. Saber of course entered, but remained at the door so to protect it from anything. They crowded into the compartment with ease. The remaining displaced students struggled to find a compartment with extra space. Thankfully, no one seemed to need the space left by the group.

"Who was that guy?" asked Neville.

"I didn't get his name," Hermione replied, shaking her head. "I was trying to get back to the last car to make sure everyone was okay when it started shaking. I was about to fall when he managed to catch me. I told him where I wanted to go and he said he was going the same direction. Everything just got worse as we got closer though."

Harry wanted to add his two pounds to the conversation when his eye was drawn to the window. The clouds were breaking at a pace he had never seen before and the rain had already stopped. It seemed that the fight on top of the train was over, but the warm sensation in his hand hadn't disappeared. That meant that the Servants were still on the train. Glancing up at Hermione, he noticed that she was fiddling with her sleeve and using it cover her own Command Spells and hide them from the others. It had brought some relief to Harry since it meant that Archer was okay too.

All that was left to consider was the status of the other Servants.

* * *

><p>Assassin bit back another curse as she suspended herself on the front of the first car, hiding just below the roof line by catching her feet on the rungs of the ladder while using her daggers under her back and neck to hold up the rest of her body. Her limbs felt heavy and numb, but not from the battle she had from Archer. No, it stemmed from the poison she had purposefully let infect her body. A risky move to be sure, but one never knew when they were going to encounter a foe a second time if they didn't kill them in the first encounter. Still, she hadn't stabbed herself blindly. When Archer had first landed on the train car, she noticed how unbalanced he was. It showed in his aim as the wind caused some arrows to go wide. He was definitely not used to fighting in such an environment. So she had decided to take a gamble and get a taste of Archer's poison before it hit her in a less fortunate situation.<p>

'_Obviously a paralysis poison,_' Assassin mused as she felt out what the poison was doing to her. '_Likely he wanted information or he feared that our battle would endanger his Master. Luckily I am not so inclined to protect mine._'

Still, she had not expected Caster to be on the train as well as Archer. She had expected Saber to be there considering how much the snake-faced man ranted about how his nemesis had gotten a Servant but she hadn't really thought Archer would be on the train too. One child summoning a Servant was surprising enough, but now it seemed likely that two or three had done the same. How could mere children do with no preparation what grown adults had to prepare themselves endlessly for? That said, who was the blonde woman with the invisible sword? What was her stake in all of this? She was certainly not Saber since Rider had confirmed that Saber was a man and now Caster had revealed himself as well. The snake-faced man and his following of thieves thought her to be Caster but now she knew the truth.

Something was surely going on with this Grail War.

"Hey! Who the bloody hell are you?"

Assassin turned her masked gaze down to the train engine in front of her and saw that the two engineers for the transportation had finally noticed her. A common trait she discovered among modern magi was just how ignorant and unobservant they were about the world around them. She had been using Presence Concealment to hide her presence from the other Servants, but she was in clear view of the two men. Frankly, how they hadn't noticed her before now was a mystery not even the Grail could explain in her mind.

"It's a Death Eater!" the second engineer cried as he drew his wand.

"Oh please," Assassin sighed, palming her face. "Do not compare me with those thieves."

"You're not supposed to be here!" the first engineer frowned, raising his wand. "We'll let the aurors sort you out! _Stu-!_"

Assassin acted quickly and yanked her skull-like mask from her face despite the heaviness of her limbs. Leaning up, she peered at the two with her true face, her eyes partly lidded and a pout on her lips. "Please let me stay? I'm so very sleepy and it's soooo relaxing here." She accented the move by running her hand up her thigh before brushing back her hair from her face. "Please?"

The effect was instant. Both men suddenly stopped what they were doing and their eyes turned dull while they jaws began to go slack. For a moment no one did anything. Assassin just continued to pout at the two as she waited for a reaction.

"Uh…uh…" the first engineer sputtered, his eyes still dull and his voice but a whisper. "Would you…like to rest…down here…with us?"

"Why thank-you!" Assassin purred. Letting herself fall from her perch she landed on her feet with a slight stumble. Righting herself, she sauntered towards the two before stroking the chin of the second engineer, making him tremble. "Be a dear and collect my daggers won't you? They're my favorites."

"Y-yes ma'am," the engineer nodded before he scrambled towards the ladder so he could try and reach the blades.

Assassin just smiled and sat in the engineer's booth before reclining, "Remember to do your jobs," she commented idly. "We want to get to the school on time, right?" she said the last word with another seductive purr which caused both men to tremble before going about their tasks with an even greater vigor.

'_Works every time,_' the female Hassan-I-Sabbah mused to herself. Keeping herself in the shadows of the space, she remained still so her body could fight off the poison and give her what she wanted from it. With her Presence Concealment none of the other Servants would be able to detect her and curled up like she was, none of them would be able to find her. That said, it was time to rest.

* * *

><p>Archer grimaced as he phased through the train carriage walls in his astralized form. This was far from the relaxing train ride he had been expecting. Phasing through several upset children, he cursed himself for not using his senses to see if the train was safe or not. He never expected any Servants besides himself and Saber being on the train, much less preparing to pick a fight. Once that familiar feeling dawned on him though, he didn't try to tap into those senses, fearing that his opponent would sense the change in demeanor and go on the attack. Now it seemed like a stupid idea since he got ambushed by Caster and then that woman in blue.<p>

Honestly, who the hell was she? She was too composed to be Berserker and despite it being invisible, he could tell that she had the wrong weapon to be Lancer. The knight seemed to know her and her presence just screamed Servant, so she wasn't just some incredible strong human. She was very attractive if he had to admit it, but that didn't help the situation any.

With Caster seemingly done with his fight with the swordswoman, despite his senses telling him that they were both still on the train, Archer hurried to reach his Master again. She was at the back of the train since that was where he told her to go so to warn Saber of the approaching conflict. Well, not in so many words but he hoped his little Master was smart enough to stick near Saber in case things got rough. Assassin had dropped out of his senses thanks to her Presence Concealment, and Caster was gone with the wind. The only Servants left were Saber and the woman who was standing on top of the train. Apparently she was remaining there so to keep an eye out for trouble. No doubt she could probably sense him now, but since no threatening moves were made he decided to see it as a blessing in disguise.

Dashing down the train, he phased through several doorways before finally reaching the final car. Inside things seemed calmer, but there was another redhead who was in a prime position to react should any kind of assault happen in the vicinity of the car. Somehow, Archer doubted that the young man was being employed by Hogwarts as someone to simply guard the students. His eyes spoke of someone who had seen the horrors of war and his body language spoke of someone who had been in more than a few life or death battles. He wasn't reacting to the bowman's presence so he wasn't a Master, but only a fool would assume he didn't know what was going on. Still, he made sure to keep the redhead in sight as he passed by in search of his Master.

After checking a few compartments, he spotted Saber's astralized form guarding the door of one compartment. He could see through the black knight and easily spotted his Master. Phasing through the wall next to the door, he traveled across the compartment before leaning against the wall across the door and sitting down with a sigh. Hermione had her gaze riveted on him, worrying with her sleeve. Harry could see Saber tense but he couldn't see Archer.

"_Well?_" asked Saber expectantly.

"_We are in some deep shit,_" Archer admitted frankly. "_Assassin and Caster are both on the train. Not to mention there's a third Servant here who doesn't fit into any of the other classes too._"

Hermione paled at the admission, drawing looks from Ginny in confusion but Saber was the one who put it into words, "_What?-!_" The knight was standing tall and more alert than ever before. No doubt he was eying everything in the room which he could use as a weapon with that strange Noble Phantasm of his.

"_We fucked up,_" Archer groaned, resting his head against the wall. "_We thought that no Servant would be on the train so we weren't paying attention to whatever our senses were telling us. Now there's at least two still on the train while the third is hiding himself somewhere._"

"_What did this Caster, Assassin, and third Servant look like?_" asked Saber, causing Harry's own face to pale next to Hermione's as he finally got the message in the midst of their conversing schoolmates.

"_Assassin looked like a woman with black skin, long dark hair, and a skull-like mask over her face. Damn good with daggers and pretty damn agile too. Odd thing was that she took one of my poison arrows and pricked herself with it,_" Archer described. "_Didn't seem to do much, but no doubt she's probably feeling it somehow. I made that one to cause paralysis so we might have gotten ourselves a break with her._"

"_A female Assassin,_" Saber nodded. "_An effective ploy. What of Caster?_"

"_I think you might know him,_" Archer replied, making the black knight perk in surprise. "_Big fellow all dressed in green armor. Has a green fur cape on his back, antlers on his helmet, and a load of forest etchings on the armor itself. He fights with an axe that has some pretty big emeralds in it. The wildest thing of all was that he could control the weather. He caused that thunderstorm and wherever he pointed that axe, bolts of lightning came down at us._"

"…_are you saying he could use a Marble Phantasm?_" Saber asked slowly with more than a little apprehension in his voice.

"_That's what they call magic that works with nature instead of the logic of man, right?_" asked Archer rhetorically. He already knew the answer since the Grail imparted knowledge on how magic worked into him. Not enough to actually call himself a magus in any sense of the word, but enough to know what he was talking about. "_Looked like it to me. Do you know him?_"

"_I knew of a green knight in my life,_" Saber admitted, looking down at the ground. "_He and this Caster may be one and the same. If they are though…_"

"_He seemed to know the last Servant though,_" Archer continued. "_Now she was a sight to behold. She was a petite little thing, but she wore a blue dress and had armor over a lot of. It didn't take away from her beauty._"He grinned as he recalled the woman. "_She had blonde hair tied up at the back and some of the brightest green eyes I've ever seen in a woman. The oddest thing was that she was wielding a sword, but she somehow made it invisible._"

Saber stiffened once again, but this time it felt like his heart was caught in a vice. Fear stirred in his stomach and his fists clenched tightly enough to make his armor creak if it were solid at the moment. "_An invisible sword?_"

"_Yeah,_" Archer nodded, not noticing Saber's sudden change of posture since he was leaning back with his eyes closed. "_Caster seemed to know what it was though. He called it The Sword of Promised Victory. Wish he said its real name. It would make figuring out who this woman is that much easier._"

The vice clamp on Saber's heart gripped even tighter at the news, and the fear in his stomach blasted out like a broken damn and spread through his body. His hands were trembling and his breath was coming out in rapid and short bursts. He was looking down at the floor, but if he had Mystic Eyes then he would have been burning a hole through it with how hard his gaze had turned. Were he the type to show more than only the smallest hints of his feelings then he may have very well collapsed to his knees. He was merely silent, trying to adjust to his world being quite literally rocked by Archer's description.

"_Saber?_" asked Archer, noticing how silent the knight had become. "_You okay?_"

"…_I am going to patrol the cars,_" the knight replied bluntly. "_Protect our Masters._"

Saber phased through the doorway and into the corridor of the train. He didn't bother to wait for any replies to his last words and just kept walking. Ignoring the red-haired young man who was keeping an eye on things, he listlessly traveled out of the car and into the next one ahead of him. His senses told him that the only other Servant on the train was on top of the second car, obviously keeping an eye on things from above while her Master likely kept an eye on things inside.

'_Why?_' Saber asked himself, leaning against the wall of the car. '_Of all people, why was she summoned? Hasn't she suffered enough in the presence of a traitor like me now we'll likely have to cross swords in order to make our wishes come true?_'

Saber's whirlwind of emotions grew as he slammed his fist against the corridor wall. His hand made no noise, it being little more than an intangible part of his body, but the impact conveyed his emotions well enough. "_God in Heaven, why was my king summoned to this war?-! I don't want her to see me like this! She should be at rest in your kingdom, not at the Throne of Heroes being pressed into another war!_"

Saber slammed his fist into the wall several more times before his shoulders slumped and he dropped to his knees. He could already picture the woman Archer described. She really always was a petite woman. Her beauty was the subject of songs despite everyone thinking she was a man. Wenches from all over the kingdom prayed and dreamed of catching her attention and becoming her lover. Still, he had been one of her closest confidants during those times her strength would fail her and she would leak tears. Just imagining her brought his mind back to those days in her kingdom, happier days. Days where all seemed right with the world and everything seemed so clear.

"_Kay would always be ready to run through anyone who would make her cry like that,_" Saber reminisced. "_It would be my shoulder that she would cry on when she needed one._"

He sometimes teased her, calling her little sister when they were alone despite being close to the same age. It never failed to make her smile or at least huff in annoyance. Moments like that were proof enough that she was a woman and not the man she was pretending to be. If one knew the right words to say, they could get a rise out of her easily enough with great amusement as a result. Those days in her castle were some of the best he had ever known.

And then it ended…

'_Despite the severity of your so-called crime, I cannot fault you for it. You are blameless for the way you feel and I cannot punish you for falling in love with a woman who wishes for love her husband cannot give her._'

Her words of that time echoed through his mind. They were supposed to ease any feelings of guilt he had over what had occurred, but instead only compounded them.

'_How could I forgive myself when I remained unpunished for the things I had done?_' Saber thought to himself bitterly. '_How could you forgive me for breaking the oaths I made to you?_' he looked up to the roof of the car at an angle to where his senses told him the Servant was standing. '_How can I hope to gain redemption when I remain free of any kind of consequences for my crimes?_'

Saber had asked himself these questions many times in his life and would no doubt ask them again before his newest life. Like before, he received no answers.

* * *

><p>On top of the Hogwarts Express, Arturia remained in her battle outfit with Excalibur in her hands, the tip resting on the red roof. Like Archer below her, she was cursing herself for not even entertaining the notion of checking her senses before boarding the train. It hadn't even occurred to her to try, since she, like Rin and Shirou, had never even thought any Servant would have tried to pull anything while on a moving train. However, they were quickly proven wrong when a Servant had gotten close enough to make Rin's Command Spells react to their presence. She had tried to 'play it cool' as Rin would say and not show any sort of reaction lest the children on the train notice and get frightened, or the Servant in question decide to take action and cause a fight. Although, it seemed that a fight happened anyway.<p>

Arturia was using her position on top of the train to keep an eye out for any and all Servant activity. Assassin's presence had vanished, no doubt thanks to her Presence Concealment so she was wary whether the black-skinned woman was truly gone or not. Bertilak's presence was likewise gone, but the King of Knights knew that was because he had truly left the train for the time being. Where he went the blonde couldn't be sure. She knew nothing about his magic, much less the Marble Phantasm he wielded. The green Archer from before had hopped into one of the train compartments with a yet unseen Servant who had since started walking through the corridors, only to stop a few feet after entering the next car. No doubt they knew where she was much like how she knew where they were.

Part of Arturia wanted to go down onto the train and confront the two, but she knew better than that. A train full of schoolchildren was a completely inappropriate place for the kind of fights common in the Holy Grail War. Even if she walked in her normal clothes, they would be able to tell she was a Servant, and likely think that she was plotting something, and would go on the attack. So to prevent any unnecessary loss of life, she remained where she was to let the two know that they weren't just able to run free. If they stepped one toe out of line though, she would show them just why she had been called the embodiment of a dragon.

* * *

><p>It was a truly frightened, tired, and miserable lot that ended up at Hogsmeade Station. The hole in the last car was quite visible and readily noticeable to all. The students really couldn't have been happier to get off of the train. Solid ground had never felt so good before to the multitudes of children. Many of the first years looked quite shaken and miserable after their experience on the train, and all of the explosions and thunderbolts which had rocked their worlds.<p>

Changed and weary, Ron, Hermione, and Harry weakly made their way through the train corridors so they could get off. Ginny was running interference with Luna and Neville, knowing that Hermione and Harry may have to deal with Archer and Saber without anyone noticing. It was a kind gesture, and one Hermione had taken advantage of by whispering commands to Archer. However, Harry hadn't seen Saber since he had gone to patrol the train. Nothing out of the ordinary was happening, so Harry hoped that it meant that nothing bad had happened to his Servant.

Meanwhile, a similarly tired Arturia, Shirou, and Rin exited from their car of the train. However, their exhaustion had stemmed from adrenaline rather than fear like the other students. They had patrolled the cars with the Prefects for the entire trip, and Arturia kept an eye on things from atop the train. Once the conductor announced that they would be arriving at Hogwarts shortly, they all returned to their compartment to compare notes. Arturia had regaled them on her meeting with Assassin, Archer, and the Caster known as Bertilak. Rin had recognized the name immediately, having been experienced with numerous heroic tales from different countries, if only for the sake of selecting a possible Servant for the Holy Grail War. Arturia certainly had no love for the man she recalled mocking her court and shaming one of her knights.

"Good lord! What happened?-!"

The trio turned to see a witch with a prominent chin and a severe haircut jogging towards them. She was holding a lantern and was apparently supposed to be collecting the first years for their trip to Hogwarts. However, she looked slightly panicked over the state of the train and, like any responsible teacher, wanted to know just what the heck had happened.

"A freak lightning storm," Rin lied smoothly. "One of the bolts hit the back of the train and several more almost knocked it off the tracks. My assistants and I managed to relocate everyone safely with the help of the Prefects."

"I see. I'll inform the headmaster of this," the witch nodded. "I am Wilhelmina Grubby-Plank, temporary teacher for Care For Magical Creatures while Rubeus Hagrid is away on assignment. I'd say welcome to Hogwarts, but it seems you have gotten your own welcoming. Although I am impressed to hear how well you handled the situation. It seems the students were in good hands."

"Thank-you," Rin nodded. "Although after the excitement on the train I'm sure we're all looking forward to a hot meal and a warm bed."

"Well, I'm sure we can provide that much," Professor Grubby-Plank nodded. "If you'll excuse me though, I have to collect the first-years. You all are supposed to take the carriages with the rest of the students. Professor Snape will meet you at the castle to bring you to the main hall separate from the students. You and your assistants have your own places set in the Great Hall with the other teachers."

"I see," Rin nodded. "Thank-you very much."

Saying goodbye to the trio, Professor Grubby-Plank headed through the throngs of students so she could get into an easily spotted position in order to catch the attention of all of the students who were coming off of the train. Shaking her head, Rin looked to her lover and co-lover and gestured them to follow. The trio swam through the masses of black-clad students as they progressed to where the upper-year students would be transported to the castle proper. When they found them though, it caused both Shirou and Arturia to stiffen in shock. Pulling the carriages were horse-shaped creatures which were nothing more than skin and bones with draconic faces.

"What the-!" Shirou gasped, but Rin poked him in the side.

"Don't make a scene," Rin hissed. "They're just Thestrals. They're no more dangerous than the average kind of horse. The only difference is that they eat meat rather than plants."

"Is that why these students do not react to them?" asked Arturia in a whisper.

"No," Rin frowned, a dark looking coming over her face. "It's because they can't see them. You can only see a Thestral if you've seen death."

That statement made both Servant and apprentice realize just why they could see the beasts when none of the children around them could. Arturia had led several charges against England's enemies and had no doubt killed many men in her time to protect her country. Shirou had been a survivor of the Fuyuki City Fire and had watched many people burn to death in the inferno before he had been rescued by his father. Both had seen their share during the Fifth Holy Grail War back in Fuyuki City. With all that in mind, it was little wonder just how they could see the Thestrals.

"So if you're done gaping, let's pick a carriage and get a move on," Rin continued, heading towards an empty one. "I want to have dinner sometime tonight."

Arturia and Shirou both glanced at each other, knowing how Rin could be without food or adequate enough sleep. Normally Rin would be a little more sociable, but with her impending teacher status her responsibilities had been pressing down on her and until she got a feel for what she was doing in Hogwarts, she likely wasn't going to lighten up. Fortunately, both the former Saber and the magus knew how to deal with a stressed-out Rin. So with some anticipation, the trio entered their carriage before a jolt alerted them to the fact that it was moving.

Meanwhile, Harry, Hermione, Ron, Luna, Neville, and Ginny headed towards the carriages as they managed to get through the throngs of their fellow students and headed towards the carriages. Saber and Archer were with them, astralized of course. Archer seemed to look like he wanted to curl up in a good spot and fall asleep even though he didn't need to sleep at all. Saber on the other hand was deathly quiet and walking stiffly although he had proven in the past that he was quite agile and swift despite wearing his black armor. Coming to the carriages, Harry suddenly came to a halt when he saw what was to be pulling them to the school.

"What the-?-!" Harry gasped, seeing the near-skeletal forms of the Thestrals

"What?" asked Ron, noticing Harry's sudden halt.

"Don't you see them?" asked Harry, looking somewhat panicked over the strange creatures in front of the carriages which were to take the students up to the castle.

"See what?" asked Hermione.

"_He means those bat-winged horses that are pulling the carriages,_" Archer replied, walking ahead of the group so to get up close to the strange creatures. The scaled horse seemed to take notice of the green-clad bowman despite his ghostly form and attempted to take some tentative sniffs to catch a scent, only to become confused when it didn't smell anything. "_Ugly things._"

"_They're harmless,_" Saber spoke up, his sentence short and succinct. "_They're as tame as normal horses. I can tell by the look in their eyes._"

The statement from his Servant served Harry some relief, knowing that he wasn't going crazy. Hermione was a little startled to hear that there was indeed something in front of them that Harry could see which she couldn't aside from Saber, but Archer was quick to reassure her with what the black knight had said.

"Can we get on now?" asked Ron impatiently. "I'm starving!"

Ron, Hermione, and Harry piled into one of the carriages, but when offered Luna said she would catch another one since she wished to find a quieter carriage so she could continue her reading. Not to leave a friend behind, Ginny volunteered to help her find one which left the trio to go ahead on their own. Saber and Archer were quick to claim seats within for themselves despite being little more than ghosts at the moment.

"_Polite girl, isn't she?_" asked Archer with a grin. "_Letting us have seats like this?_"

"_Hn,_" Saber grunted. "_If I did not know better, I would have sworn she knew we were following you all._"

Conversation was somewhat mild as the wagons went towards Hogwarts. What worried Harry though was that he didn't see his friend Hagrid at thee station and it had given him some cause for concern. Usually the half-giant would be the one to meet the train with his cries if 'Firs' years, over here!' while holding up his lantern to catch the attention of all of the youngest students. Passing through the winged boar decorated gates, he glanced out to where the Forbidden Forest was in hopes of seeing the light within his cabin, but all he saw was more darkness. Where had Hagrid gone?

The carriage continued on and soon the familiar castle known as Hogwarts came to view. Despite his distress over the disappearance of likely one of his oldest friends, seeing the castle had brought much comfort to his mind, remembering how much of a home Hogwarts was to him ever since he had first arrived. Despite the rougher times he had since arriving back when he was eleven, the castle felt more like a home than Privet Drive ever did. Hermione and Ron both had faint smiles on their faces at seeing the school which had become such a large part of their lives. Archer and Saber goth cast their gazes over the majestic building, and both couldn't help but find themselves admiring the building.

"_You guys go to school here?_" Archer grinned. "_Man, you guys are lucky. Any kid would have loved to go to school in a castle._"

"_It feels…nostalgic,_" Saber muttered under his breath, once more reminded of a brighter time in his former life.

Over in their own carriage which had moved on ahead of the students, Rin, Shirou, and Arturia were still taking in the sights which the school of magic. All three had to admire the rich architecture and the majesty which the castle held. Even Rin couldn't hide entirely her awe for the large castle. Yes, Clock Tower was impressive as well, but Hogwarts had a completely different feel to it that you couldn't help but admire.

"Sugoi," Shirou smiled, slipping back to Japanese. "You don't see something like this everyday."

"No. You don't." Rin agreed.

Once again Arturia was being strongly reminded of Merlin and her time back in Camelot. Was every Magus in this side of the magical world truly reverent of Merlin? It was nostalgic and it brought many good memories back, but it also brought several memories of Merlin's antics which she really would have preferred to forget about in the first place. Still, their admiring of the building which they would call home during the school year was interrupted when they reached the front and the carriage ground to a halt. Journey complete, the three opened the door to the carriage and piled out.

As expected, there was a man waiting for them. He was dressed in sweeping black robes and had black hair which looked kind of greasy. One of his most distinguishing features was his hooked nose that reminded the trio of a bird of prey. He was standing respectfully enough, but there was just something in his eyes that stated that he would rather be anywhere else than standing outside, waiting for a new teacher and her assistants. Shirou was immediately reminded of the several students of Clock Tower who would look down on him since he was 'third-rate' and would call him 'Tohsaka's charity case.'

"Professor Snape I presume?" Rin asked, stepping forward.

"Indeed," the man nodded. "Then you are Professor Tohsaka and her assistants?"

Rin chalked up a point for the man for being able to pronounce her last name. Half of her classmates kept saying it wrong for some stupid reason. "That's us. I suppose starting today the two of us will be co-workers."

"Perhaps," Snape replied before he turned towards the castle. "Please follow and don't dawdle. The students are arriving at any minute and we would prefer if you were all present when the headmaster introduces you."

The trio quickly moved to follow the black-clad man as he moved to the front doors of the castle, which opened on their own for him. The group passed through the stone hallways of the entry hall and soon entered the carpeted hallways which would lead to the Great Hall, where the welcoming feast would take place. Paintings hung on the walls with the subjects whispering to each other or some even sending their greetings to the trio, which Shirou and Arturia were able to return with some surprise. Moving into another hall, they were met with the sight of suits of armor rather than portraits. It was an extreme decoration change which Snape had commented on.

"Please ignore the suits," he spoke. "They like to move about when the mood suits them."

The group strode onwards, but as they passed the suits began to react. For every pair on either side that the group of three passed by, the suits would immediately kneel with their heads bowed and battle axes raised in deference. Snape didn't seem to notice since he was ahead of the group, but rest assured and Rin, Shirou, and Arturia did. Shirou and Rin blinked at the odd behavior, but then remembered just who it was that they were traveling with.

"Do you think the suits know?" Shirou whispered in Japanese.

"Maybe," Rin frowned back in the same language.

"The suits are animated by magic," Arturia offered. "Perhaps they sense my sword?"

That was a good guess in Rin's mind. Excalibur was a sword forged by the fae, and no matter how skilled a human may be, nothing they could forge would be able to compare to it. Unless of course they were granted materials which were not of Earth, like Gilgamesh's sword Ea. Excalibur was a class of magic in itself and likely the armors could sense it's magic and deferred appropriately to it, seeing that fae magic would trump human magic every time. Well, it was either that or the suits just knew somehow in some abstract way that Arturia was royalty and were deferring to her as soldiers should.

Leaving the bowing suits behind, the group entered the Great Hall from a side door. The room was as expected large with four long tables for the students set vertically next to one another for all of the students. Above them were the banners of the four houses named after the school founders; Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. All four of the founders were powerful and established magi which even The Magus Association admitted were well deserving of their praise. At the front of the room, on an elevated platform, was a table set horizontally with the remaining staff of Hogwarts seated and waiting for the arrival of the students. Among them of course was Professor Dumbledore, who smiled as he saw the group enter.

"Ah, Rin, Shirou, Arturia welcome," Dumbledore smiled as he stood up to greet the trio. "How was your trip?"

"A little bumpy, but otherwise fine," Rin answered. "I hope we aren't too late."

"Just in time actually," The headmaster reassured them. "Please, allow me to introduce your co-workers." He began gesturing to everyone who sat at the table. "You've already met Professor Snape, our potions master" He gestured to a hard-looking older woman who wore an emerald set of robes and square-rimmed spectacles. "The deputy-headmistress and transfiguration teacher Minerva McGonagall."

"Charmed," the woman nodded politely.

"Our Charms teacher, Filius Flitwick," Dumbledore continued, pointing to a very short man in blue robes with short hair and a white beard. He smiled brightly and waved to the three, looking very happy to meet them.

"Teacher of Astronomy, Aurora Sinistra," a dark skinned woman with brown robes smiled at the three warmly.

"Pomona Sprout, the teacher of Herbology," Dumbledore continued, gesturing to a somewhat shorter woman (though not as short as Flitwick) who wore earthen brown robes and looked like she had spent her entire day in a greenhouse and decided she didn't have time to properly dress for the welcoming feast.

"Next is our flying instructor, Romalda Hooch," the headmaster finished, pointing out a woman with short gray hair wearing black and white robes.

A prim-looking with in red robes and long brown hair was introduced next. "This is our Arithmacy Teacher, Septima Vector."

After Professor Vector came a rather nondescript woman who seemed like the stereotypical scholar, "Our Ancient Runes teacher, Bathsheda Babbling."

The last teacher was an older woman with graying blonde hair, "This is our Muggle Studies professor, Charity Burbage."

"Finally, our guest from the Ministry," Dumbledore finished, though looking nowhere near as pleased as before. He gestured to a woman at the end of the table who was wearing the ugliest pink clothes Rin, Shirou, and Arturia had ever seen, and seemed to have all of the disposition of a toad on a rock. "Dolores Umbridge."

"Hello to all of you," Rin smiled, but she was using her politically skilled smile rather than a genuine one. Shirou could easily tell the difference even from behind since Rin's body posture would go to match her smiles, as numerous as they were. Since she wasn't sure who would be someone she could trust and who would be an enemy, she decided to go for neutral until further notice. "I hope that we all get along well during the new school year."

"Excellent," Dumbledore smiled, seeing as there was no immediate problems with his staff members. "Well, please have a seat. We made room for all three of you. The students will be arriving any minute, so we should make ourselves comfortable."

"Happily," Shirou smiled, looking forward to a relaxing meal after the day he and his lovers had. Sure, the threat of the Holy Grail War still hung over their heads, but at least for the time being they could put it aside for the sake of their new positions. The three took seats next to Professor Flitwick, with Rin settling down next to the Charms teacher, Shirou next to her and followed by Arturia. While they were getting comfortable, McGonagall excused herself to go meet with the first years who were due to be sorted. No sooner had the trio had gotten into their seats did the first of the Hogwarts students began to file into the Great Hall to attend the feast.

'_Here we go,_' Rin thought to herself, eying the children.

* * *

><p>Harry and his friends traveled up to the Great Hall in anticipation of the welcoming feast. It would be a welcome sight for him to be sure, something familiar and regular which he could appreciate with all of the insanity which had been going on lately. Entering through the main doors had been a bit of a surprise. As they passed by the decorative suits of armor, the suits stiffened and began straightening their backs, trying to look impressive. One or two had even tried to rub smudges off of their suits. Saber would eye the suits, but with his face hidden behind his helmet it was impossible to tell how he was reacting to the sight. Archer on the other hand seemed to find it a novelty and chuckled at the sight.<p>

"_I think they can tell we're actually here,_" he grinned.

"_Perhaps,_" Saber replied.

Walking to the doorways which the students would enter the Grand Hall, Saber and Archer suddenly came to a stop. Harry and Hermione both likewise stopped when thy noticed that their Servants were no longer following them. Both looked questioningly at the knight and bowman, silently asking why.

"_We should not follow you,_" Saber spoke. "_Knowing that there are other Servants nearby, if we enter such a space with all of the students nearby we will expose ourselves to the other Servants who are no doubt lurking nearby. Assassin and Caster are likely hiding and have an eye on this place. They would be able to see us even astralized and be able to report to their Masters who we are connected to. We cannot risk that._"

"_With those two still hanging around we're going to have to play it safe and keep out of sight so no one guesses that you two are Masters in this war,_" Archer explained. "_We'll hang out here until you guys are finished in there. We'll follow you afterward._"

Both Harry and Hermione swallowed softly, feeling a bit nervous about being separated from their Servants in the face of Caster and Assassin being somewhere even remotely close to Hogwarts. Still, they could see the logic in their respective Servant's arguments. Steeling themselves, they turned and headed back into the Great Hall. Emerging from the doorway, they saw the familiar sights and sounds of Hogwarts students talking and taking their seats. Harry and Hermione managed to find where Ron had gone and saved them seats before quickly setting themselves down. As they did, Harry felt stares pointed at him and whispers following where he went. He was used to it being The-Boy-Who-Lived, but the whispers were harsher than usual, making Harry realize they followed and believed the Daily Prophet. To him, it seemed like a herald of things to come.

"Ignore them Harry," Hermione whispered.

"Yeah mate," Ron nodded. "Check out the lot up with the teachers. Which one do you recon is the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher this year?"

Harry looked up to see that four new faces were indeed sitting with the other teachers. The first was an admitted pretty woman who was in her twenties with Asian features, long dark hair, dressed in a red blouse with a black skirt. Her hair was done up in two ponytails and she looked for lack of a better term like aristocracy in the way she watched all of the students as if she were analyzing them and their worth. Sitting next to her was the red-haired man which Harry had seen on the train after Archer began fighting the Servants on top of the train. He looked positively like a muggle with the way he was dressed, but if he was in Hogwarts he had to be a wizard. Next in the line-up was a short blond woman who Harry would have no problem believing was outright royalty with the way she held herself in her seat and with how beautiful she was. She managed to pull off the look without even trying; even wearing a simple white blouse and blue skirt it seemed several boys in the room had become smitten with her on sight. On the end of the table though was a face Harry wished he wouldn't have to see again. It was the toad-like woman he recalled from his trial who seemed all for rendering the most severe punishment possible on Harry, and was quite obviously a full supporter of Fudge's ignorance.

"I hope either of those two birds are the new teacher," Ron commented idly. "Going to class would be fun then."

"Ron!" Hermione hissed, snapping the boy out of his daze while his cheeks turned red at being caught.

The impending admonishment from Hermione was thankfully cut off when Grubby-Plank entered the room and took the seat Hagrid would usually take for the welcoming feast. Not even a full minute after, the main doors to the Great Hall opened to reveal the first year students led by Professor McGonagall. The eleven-year-olds all looked quite terrified and fearful of the unknown test which would determine the house they would end up in. Harry felt a wave of sympathy for the trembling first years, having been there himself once upon a time. Likely all of the commotion on the train hadn't helped their courage. More than a few of them were still trembling.

McGonagall moved ahead of the group and moved to the side of the room, where she retrieved a stool and a familiar worn hat with a rip near the brim. Setting the stool down at the front of the Staff Table, she carefully set the hat down on top of it and stepped back. Unsurprisingly to the older students, the hat shuffled for a moment before the rip opened and the hat had begun to sing.

_In times of old when I was new __And Hogwarts barely started The founders of our noble school Thought never to be parted._

_United by a common goal They had a selfsame yearning, To make the world's best magic school And pass along their learning._

'_Together we will build and teach!' The four good friends decided And never did they dream that they Might some day be divided._

_For were there such friends anywhere As Slytherin and Gryffindor? Unless it was the second pair Of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw?_

_So how could it have gone so wrong? How could such friendships fail? Why, I was there and so can tell The whole sad, sorry tale._

_Said Slytherin 'We'll teach just those Whose ancestry is purest.' Said Ravenclaw, 'We'll teach those whose Intelligence is surest.'_

_Said Gryffindor, 'We'll teach all those With brave deeds to their name.' Said Hufflepuff, 'I'll teach the lot And treat them all the same.'_

_These differences caused little strife When first they came to light, For each of the four founders had A house in which they might_

_Take only those they wanted, so, For instance, Slytherin Took only pure-blood wizards Of great cunning, just like him._

_And only those of sharpest mind Were taught by Ravenclaw While the bravest and the boldest Went to daring Gryffindor._

_Good Hufflepuff, she took the rest, And taught them all she knew Thus the houses and their founders Retained their friendships firm and true._

_So Hogwarts worked in harmony For several happy years, But then discord reaped among us Feeding on our faults and fears._

_The houses that, like pillars four, Had once held up our school, Now turned upon each other and, Divided, sought to rule._

_And for a while it seemed the school Must meet an early end, What with dueling and with fighting And clash of friend on friend._

_And at last there came a morning When old Slytherin departed And though the fighting then died out He left us quite downhearted._

_And never since the founders four Were whittled down to three Have the houses been united As they were meant to be._

_And now the Sorting Hat is here And you all know the score: I sort you into houses Because that is what I'm for._

_But this year I'll go further, Listen closely to my song: Though condemned I am to split you Still I worry that it's wrong._

_Though I must fulfill my duty And must quarter every year Still I wonder whether Sorting May not bring the end I fear._

_Oh, know the perils, read the signs, The warning history shows, For our Hogwarts is in danger From external deadly foes._

_And we must unite inside her Or we'll crumble from within I have told you, I have warned you… Let the sorting now begin._

The Great Hall burst into applause over the song, but there were mutterings and whispers following it. For as long as any student knew, the Sorting Hat would just sing about the four houses and what aspects each of the founders found important. This year it was giving a warning to them all about being divided.

"Branched out a bit this year hasn't it?" asked Ron.

"Too right," Harry agreed.

Conversation was quickly halted when Professor McGonagall opened up a scroll and began reading off names to behind The Sorting.

* * *

><p>As Euan Abercrombie became the first Gryffindor of the new year, Rin sighed as she, Shirou, and Arturia whispered in Japanese about the song and what the message behind the lyrics possibly was.<p>

"_A most ominous warning,_" Arturia frowned.

"_No kidding,_" Shirou agreed. "_With all of the talk about Voldemort, it's tearing people up on believing it, not believing it, wishing really hard that it's not true, and outright denying it. With so much confusion going on between everybody, it's perfect for Voldemort to move along without anyone noticing if he really is back._"

"_Good luck uniting in this place, much less in the Ministry's side as a whole,_" Rin sighed. "_Too many of the purebloods these days worship the guy like the Second Coming simply because he claims to be a descendant of Slytherin. With the way the Ministry puts preference on purity of blood, they'll just continue keeping things divided so the man can go about his agenda. In here it's like the outside in a box. Most of the Slytherin kids would be related to those families and grew up believing that rhetoric. It doesn't matter if the guy is back or not, they'll believe it and try to lord it, thinking they're untouchable._"

The three pondered that warning and just how willing the students were going to be in regards to listening to it. They remained silent as a new Ravenclaw was proclaimed. It wasn't very long before the first years were finally sorted with Rose Zeller becoming the last Hufflepuff of the new year, taking a seat at the table of badgers. With all of the new students properly seated, Dumbledore himself rose up to begin his speech.

"To our newcomers, welcome!" the headmaster greeted, his voice echoing through the hall. "To our old hands, welcome back! There is a time for speech making, but this is not it. So…tuck in!"

The empty plates which had been set in front of everyone were suddenly filled to the brim with food. Anything and everything one could want was available for anyone who wanted it. The students were quick to begin filling their plates. Arturia noted that a few of them were stuffing themselves stupid, revealing their bad manners. Fortunately, she didn't have to watch for very long, as the teachers' own plates had been filled, allowing them to focus on their own meals and conversations.

"Hmmm," Sirou nodded as he dug into his potatoes. "I like the spices which were used for these. Very unique. I'll have to ask for the recipe if I have the chance."

"Delicious," Arturia nodded, always one who enjoyed good food. Despite having a proper contract with Rin, she still ate double what either magi would eat in a single sitting.

"Mnnn. Yours is better Shirou," Rin shrugged as she started working on her steak.

Conversation in the Great Hall was in fact very pleasant as both the students and teachers spoke about what they were up to over the summer. Professor Flitwick and Rin struck up an intellectual conversation on some of the differences between the Ministry's style of magic and the Magus Association's Thaumaturgy. The diminutive Charms teacher was in fact a worldly and open-minded fellow who enjoyed learning something new and was actually excited at the fact that Rin was a prodigy who was trained at the prestigious Clock Tower. Shirou and Arturia managed to start talking to Professor Vector about runes and how they utilized them. Shirou's only other skills at magecraft which Rin tried to pound into his head was runes and Arturia found the topic interesting. It was very easy to slip into the comfortable feeling which the room was giving off. Shirou was a friendly and somewhat open person by nature, despite his traumatic experiences in the past, so he was somewhat in his element. Rin was ever professional and enjoyed talking to other professionals rather than smug people who thought they were the next great Magician despite only having mediocre skills when compared to the likes of herself and Lu... -ahem- The Blue Skank. Arturia simply felt nostalgic of her years in Camelot and immersed herself in the social warmth as she conversed with those around her.

The feast eventually came to an end as everyone finished off their desserts and the food vanished as quickly as it had appeared. Wiping his mouth politely with a napkin, Dumbledore stood up once again, "Now that we are all digesting another magnificent feast, I request a few moments of your time for a few start-of-term notices," Seeing that he had the attention of the students was his, he continued with his announcements. "First years should note that the forest on the grounds is out of bounds for students…something which our older students should also take note of." It didn't escape Rin's notice that several of the older students grinned at each other, most notably a pair of redheaded twins who she could instantly tell were troublemakers of the highest degree. She'd have to keep an eye out for them.

"Our caretaker Mr. Filch has asked me, for what he says is the four-hundredth and sixty-second time, to remind you all that magic is not permitted in the corridors, nor are a number of things which can all be found on the extensive list attached to Mr. Filch's office door," Dumbledore then moved onto the announcement that everyone knew was coming. "We have also had some changes in staffing this year. First we are glad to welcome back Professor Grubby-Plank as our Care for Magical Creatures teacher," the woman in question stood up and waved so that all would be able to recognize her. The students applauded politely, most of which already knew who she was. After a moment for everyone to see her face, Grubby-Plank then sat down and allowed Dumbledore to continue. "And we welcome our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Tohsaka."

Rin stood up and waved to the students who of course applauded politely but with more or less the same amount of enthusiasm. Everyone knew about the apparent jinx on the position of Defence Against the Dark Arts which forced the teacher out of it after one year, leaving Dumbledore struggling to find another since many did not wish to risk themselves and what may happen to them if they took the job. Still, the students at least seemed enthusiastic about the Tohsaka heiress' appointment, although it seemed that there was more enthusiasm from the boys then there was from the girls. With her introduction made, Rin sat down again.

"And finally, we are hosting a guest from the Ministry," Dumbledore continued, gesturing to the woman in pink who stood up imperiously, as if she was expecting a standing ovation for her efforts of 'gracing' the school with her presence. "May I introduce Dolores Umbridge, who will be overseeing this year as a sign of good faith between Hogwarts and the Ministry."

The woman smiled at the collected students, revealing numerous sharp little teeth, "Thank you for that warm welcome Headmaster." Her voice was in a simpering tone, spoken like she was trying to be cute in belief that it would endear her to everyone around her, which in truth had the opposite effect.

* * *

><p>Harry, Hermione, and Ron listened to Umbridge giving her speech of protecting the knowledge amassed, prompting change, and culling activities which ought to be prohibited. It was long-winded and peppered with her annoying little <em>hem, hem<em> coughs which she probably thought were cute, but were in truth completely annoying. Many of the student just promptly ignored her, since her speech was in fact boring and all but declared her intention of interfering in the comfortable world that Hogwarts had become for them.

For Hermione though, she managed to pick out the hidden message behind the words. In more or less blunt terms, Umbridge had made it her intention to riffle through Hogwarts and cull everything which was not to the Ministry's standards. With the paranoid kick that Fudge was on in recent days, anything which was not strictly monitored and regulated would likely be put under intense scrutiny and subtle harassment until the conceded to the ministry's wishes. She had thought that Fudge was going off the deep end before, but now he was horning in a school, which he really didn't have any business of doing, and possibly trying to infringe on the freedom of expression.

The golden trio all came to the same conclusion (with a bit of prompting from Hermione) and wondered just what was going to play into the approaching school year. Their already remarkably full plates did not need this newest addition. With the Holy Grail War, Voldemort, Fudge's campaign of lies and half-truths, and now the Ministry actively trying to put a collar on everything which went on in Hogwarts, it seemed like it was going to be a most stressful year.

Their deep introspection had come to a halt when a large amount of banging and chattering went about, snapping them out of their discussion. Looking about, they discovered that not only had they missed the end of Umbridge's speech, but also the start of term announcements which Dumbledore talked about before dismissing them for the night.

"Ron!" Hermione cried, looking quite flustered as she got to her feet. "We're supposed to show the first years where to go!"

"Oh, right," Ron blinked, obviously having forgotten his duty as a Prefect. Standing up, he began waving, "Oi! Midgets!"

"RON!" Hermione hissed angrily.

* * *

><p>After the feast Professor McGonagall had escorted, Rin, Shirou, and Arturia to their quarters. The chamber itself was empty of any decoration save for some functional furniture, an empty bookcase, and a fireplace for communication with the other members of the staff. There were three doors which led to a bedroom for each of the three. It seemed a little much to give them three rooms next to one another. Both women would find their way into Shirou's eventually anyway.<p>

"I hope you'll be comfortable while you're here with us Ms. Tohsaka, Mr. Emiya, Ms. Pendragon. There is a silver bell in each of your rooms which will summon a House Elf to you should you require assistance. The fireplace can be used to call one of the other faculty members if you require something. The floo powder can be found in your rooms as well. That said, I'll leave you to get settled," The strict teacher nodded to the trio as she gestured them inside. "Welcome to Hogwarts."

The emerald-clad woman left them to see to their rooms, but none of the trio went to examine them yet. Rather, they took seats on the couch or easy chair as they let the door shut behind their guide. They had more important things to worry about beyond comfortable rooms at the moment.

"Okay Saber," Rin frowned. "As far as we know Archer, Assassin, Caster, and one other Servant have to be here. Is there anything else you can tell us about Bertilak that we may not have heard about in the stories?"

"Not much I am afraid." Arturia sighed, looking down at her hands. "Gawain did not tell us very much beyond the basic events of what had occurred while he was out searching for the Green Chapel. He was too shamed about his conduct during his stay there and how he flinched in the face of an enemy attack."

"But…that didn't matter to the rest of you, didn't it?" asked Shirou. "The story says all of your knights wore green girdles afterward to commemorate the adventure."

"We did it to alleviate the shame he felt," Arturia replied. "You did not see how he was after he came back. Before, Gawain looked youthful, full of energy, and eager to serve king and country at a mere gesture of my hand. Afterward, there was a shadow which hung over him which went away no matter how much we tried to help him. Myself, Lancelot, Kay, and others felt that perhaps wearing green girdles ourselves would alleviate the shame he felt in himself."

"Did it work?" asked Shirou.

"Somewhat," the King of Knights answered with a sorrowful frown. "He seemed to take solace in the fact that we were all willing to help him shoulder the burden, even me, but he still looked like such a weight was on his shoulders for many years. It never seemed to go away until a certain…incident."

Both Shirou and Rin were of course curious about what incident Arturia referred to, but knew better than to ask. Many tales of Arturia's rule had survived to the modern day, but several of them she wished she could forget about. She was not proud of some of those things and she hated being asked or even reminded of them. The tale of her nephew Gawain and the Green Knight was one such story, but unfortunately they had to dig up that old wound in order to learn how to best deal with him, since Caster was by far one of the most dangerous enemies at the moment with his ability to use a Marble Phantasm. Somewhat ironic, considering that the Caster-class was generally seen as the weakest of the Seven.

During the train ride, Arturia had regaled the pair as to how she had come across Bertilak de Housdesert. The kingdom of Camelot had been celebrating Yule, and Arturia was deathly embarrassed to admit that everyone had been drinking more than a little ale to celebrate such a festive time. She herself wasn't often one to drink, but Kay had managed to talk her into it. One of her dearest wishes was that she had refrained from such so that she could have had a clear head for what was going to happen next.

Bertilak had entered the castle, quite literally stormed the place and managed to get into the main hall where Arturia, her knights, and subjects were feasting. He boldly declared himself the strongest knight in the land, dropped his axe on the ground, and dared any knight to try and strike him. Should any knight land a blow on him though, he would return it in a year and a day. Many would have asked why a year and a day would have to pass before he would strike back, but everyone was more than a little…out of it, by that point. Gawain had bravely answered the challenge, but knew that by striking any kind of blow would just bring one back and from Bertilak's stature, it would be a powerful one.

The other knights in the room, drunk and incensed with Bertilak's taunts, simply goaded Gawain into beheading the man and be done with it. Arturia even chanted along since she too was just as drunk by that point, and doubly insulted that anyone would claim themselves better than her knights, hailed as the bravest, strongest, and noblest knights in the land. So Gawain took Bertilak's axe and beheaded him with it. However, the man simply picked up his head and put it back on. Knowing that he was capable of using Marble Phantasms helped explain how he managed to survive such a blow. Bertilak then reminded Gawain of his pledge and left. The knights went back to their feasting, congratulating him on his courage on facing such a knight.

The next morning though, it didn't seem like such a lighthearted affair anymore.

"So we know this Caster can survive his own head getting cut off," Rin frowned. "If he's using a Marble Phantasm, then he likely has a massively detailed knowledge of his own body added to his understanding of the world around him to be able to cause an effect like that. Wounding him probably isn't going to slow him down much, and killing him is going to be next to impossible if he's able to survive a beheading."

"But…maybe he needs to rest after he uses his magic on such a level," offered Shirou. "I mean, why else wait for a year and a day aside from some kind of sadistic teasing?"

"That was Merlin's guess as well," Arturia nodded. "However, since he was drunk as a knave at some tavern, wooing a barmaid, he wasn't there to see the magic take place, so we were never truly sure."

"Great," Rin sighed. "And that guy is likely going to be showing up here soon."

"The two Servants on the train are already in the castle," Arturia reported. "I sensed them enter the castle in the carriages. Unfortunately, I couldn't do anything to them, but fortunately they weren't doing anything either."

"So two unconfirmed Servants are in the castle and Kami knows what they're up to," the Tohsaka heiress grumbled.

"It seems Hogwarts is going to play host to the Holy Grail War this time, not Fuyuki City," Shirou frowned.

"It's going to be a massacre," Arturia frowned. "If several of the students turn out to be Masters, the Servants are going to be able to sense each other out save for Assassin to be sure. The rest will be able to sense each other and will go after each other and likely level the castle if they begin using their Noble Phantasms."

"And since the Masters are likely wizards who have next to no idea about the Holy Grail War, they'll just go on nilly-willy without a care since they are no mundane people around to keep magic a secret from, not even considering what magical society at large might try to do to get in on this, or try to stop it," Rin added.

"Should we patrol the castle then?" asked Arturia. "With your experience and my own status as a Heroic Spirit, we could be able to hold them off long enough to drive them away or defeat them."

"We may be the only ones who could make sure nobody gets killed," Shirou agreed.

Rin sighed and leaned back on her seat, "Seems I'm outvoted then. Not that I had any better idea as to what to do. Okay, we'll get the layout of the school and check out for any troublemakers."

"Then we are in agreement." Arturia nodded as she stood up. "We should each take a separate floor. It will allow us to get our bearings quicker and we can compare notes once we finish. If we meet any of the other Servants, we can signal one another should it become dangerous."

"The resulting fight would be hard to miss." Rin nodded.

"Do you think we might be able to reason with them?" asked Shirou. "I mean, Caster, Berserker, and Assassin aside, the other Servants might actually be reasonable about this and not want to fight when there would be school kids at risk."

"That depends on the Servant," Rin replied. "If they're a true hero like Arturia, then we might be able to settle this peacefully. However, if they turn out to be an anti-hero we can bet that it is going to turn into a fight."

Shirou and Arturia both nodded at the fact. Both knew that it wasn't just heroes which joined the Throne of Heroes. Anti-heroes who were infamous throughout history for their deeds such as Medusa, Gilles de Rais, and Gilgamesh were also admitted to the ranks of the Heroic Spirits, and thus were allowed to take part in the Holy Grail War. Hopefully there wouldn't be anyone like that taking part, but it was doubtful.

"Okay. We'll start at the highest floors and work our way down," Rin ordered her Servant and true lover. "There are a lot of towers in this place which would make for a good place to hide, so we'd best get them out of the way first."

"Right." Shirou and Arturia nodded.

* * *

><p>The outside of Hogwarts was calm and peaceful in the darkness of the night. The air was pleasant while the stars and the moon hung over the land with a soft illuminating glow. The thestrals were back in their pens, the centaurs were stargazing on such a fine night, and everything seemed to be peaceful for the moment.<p>

However, that was due to change.

From the darkness of night, the winds began to howl. It didn't blow over the land itself as wind was known to do, but instead it centralized on the stairs approaching Hogwarts. It kicked up a tornado of dirt and debris before a shape could be seen land in the midst of it. Once the figure within the clouded centralized tornado touched the ground, the wind died as quickly as it had arrived. Emerging from the trailing dust was none other than Caster, brushing some dirt from his cloak as he began trekking up the stairs. Removing a twig from his fabric, he looked ahead at Hogwarts' architecture, which had been known to leave many children and some adults in awe in the past.

"A fine reminder of my time," he commented to himself. "Ahh, the simpler days."

Getting to Hogwarts had been somewhat of a drain on his magic. Creating such a small tornado to carry him away from the train and outside of the King of Knights sensory range before leaving it active to carry him the rest of the way to the school hadn't been easy. He had to tap into the prana well which he had created back at his Mistress' home in order to maintain the magic, lest it fail and he drop like a rock. He hadn't decided to keep up with the train and merely followed the tracks. It was well into the night before he had arrived. Hopefully any and all students and teachers would be in their rooms and asleep by now, leaving him free to go to his Mistress' side.

Seeing Arturia Pendragon had been somewhat of a surprise, but not an unpleasant one. Seeing a face from his time had been somewhat nostalgic and even invigorating. He yearned to do combat with her and her sword Excalibur. Back when his legend began, he had intended that she be the one to take up his challenge to brazenly made inside of her own castle. However, Gawain had answered the call first and tried beheading Caster, which started the events which had made Caster so well-known in life as well as bring him passage to the Throne of Heroes. Being able to fight Arturia now in this Holy Grail War was in Caster's mind, a second chance at the ultimate glory; to challenge and defeat the King of Knights where no one else could.

Reaching the doors of Hogwarts, Caster could feel the magic written into the building down to the very masonry. It was a far cry from his own magic and gave it him chills having to be so close to it. However, he would persevere for the sake of his Mistress. Reaching for the iron door handle, Caster gripped it, before giving a mighty pull and opening the large and heavy wooden door with ease. Stepping inside, he shut the door behind him so not to allow suspicion from the non-combatants. He then traveled through the hall and came to a passageway which had several suits of armor lining the sides. All of the suits had their faceguards turned and staring directly at him. Caster could immediately tell that the suits had been animated by magic, although for novelty or for a true purpose had yet to be determined. However, he didn't want to end up fighting them and causing a ruckus. A knight and a magi he may have been, but a fool he was not.

"I mean no harm to any child or teacher here," Caster spoke evenly, keeping his arms in view and away from his axe. "I merely wish to rejoin my Mistress. The only ones I shall fight are the ones who are like me."

The empty suits continued to stare, but they made no motion to try and attack. Seeing no resistance Caster began to travel down the hall. The suits continued to watch him go, their helmets turning as he went, but they did not make any threatening movements. They were a silent warning to Caster that, should he have any ill intent towards those who were protected within their halls he would recieve no mercy.

It was a warning Caster would heed.

* * *

><p>Harry laid back on his bed in the Gryffindor Tower, feeling his temper simmer slightly after a row with his roommate Seamus Finnegan. He and Harry had their fight when Seamus mentioned that his mother didn't want him coming back to Hogwarts on account of Harry's presence and her believing the sheer amount of lies that the Daily Prophet had been sending out in Fudge's paranoid attempts to shut Harry up. It certainly wasn't the best way to begin the year with his friends, but Harry just couldn't help it. He was so tired of Fudge's lies and the fact that everyone seemed to believe anything people told them out of the Prophet like it was gospel or something. Everyone knew Rita Skeeter would lie like nobody's business in her gossiping, yet everyone would take it as the honest truth anyway simply because it was in the Daily Prophet or some other major periodical.<p>

While Harry lay back in his bed, Saber stood a silent vigil in his astralized form nearby.

"_You could have handled that better Master,_" the Servant commented, having witnessed the fight between Harry and Seamus.

"I know," Harry whispered so not to wake anybody else. However, Ron's snoring covered him well enough. "But I'm just so fed up with people believing that tripe in the papers. They'll believe anything that the Prophet is telling them, and my roommates should be the ones who would know me best aside from my friends. Yet they still believe the bloody Prophet over me."

"_It is a hard thing to handle when you have something important which must be told and no one is willing to listen._" Saber nodded. "_However, losing your temper when someone voices their belief in your antagonists does not help your cause._"

"I know, I know," Harry groaned. "I just…with all of this pressure, Dumbledore avoiding me, the Holy Grail War, Voldemort…there's only so much I can take and when Seamus started taking about how his mother said I was crazy…I just couldn't hold it in."

"_Everyone has limits. Do not feel bad about that._" Saber nodded again. "_But do not allow yourself to lash out against those who do not deserve it. Consider it from their point of view._" Saber gestured to where the other boys of the tower were sleeping. "_Their parents lived with the terror that this Voldemort brought over your community. He was so terrible people would not even speak his name in fear it would garner his attention. No one would want to live in a time knowing he was alive and starting his agenda again. Your claims of his return sparks off that fear, but also everyone believes that he died on that night which he attempted to kill you. Most believe that it is impossible to come back from the dead, so they choose to believe that something is affecting your mental state. How your government is so harshly coming down on your is an oddity, but not enough of one that people may believe that something in their claims is amiss."_

Harry rubbed his eyes, seeing the logic in Saber's explanation even though he still didn't like it. People were happy with Voldemort being gone and no one would believe that someone could come back from the dead unless they actually saw it happen. Harry's claims at seeing Voldemort return would have seemed pretty crazy and with Skeeter spreading her lies and gossip the previous year, no one would have believed it with her claims that he was mentally unstable or some tripe. The Prophet was certainly taking advantage of it with their smear campaign.

No, he wouldn't think about that. He needed to think about something else or he was going to lose his temper again. Deciding to instead focus on the Holy Grail War, Harry pondered what to do in the face of three Servants being near Hogwarts. Getting an idea, Harry quietly got up and headed for his trunk before opening it and began to search around inside. After a few moments, he retrieved what looked like a yellowed piece of paper which was completely blank. Taking out his wand, Harry tapped the surface of the parchment and whispered, "I solemnly swear I am up to no good."

To Saber's surprise, who was looking over Harry's shoulder, a map began to ink itself into existence on the map's surface. _"Master, what is this?_"

"It's a map of Hogwarts," Harry explained, returning to his bed. "My father and his friends made it when they were in school. It shows me all of the hallways, classrooms, and the secret passages they knew. It also shows where everyone in the school is."

"_Does it?_" Saber asked, intrigued. "_Would it be able to pick up the presence of Servants?_"

"It should," Harry nodded. "Hold on." Tapping his wand on the edge of the paper, Harry shifted the map so that it revealed the Gryffindor Tower. Picking out the boys dormitories, he found his own room and saw several dots circled in it where the beds were. Each one had a small caption on it revealing a name for everyone in the room. With those dots though was an extra one which had _Saber_ written in caption. What made it odd though was that underneath the name was a smudge as if someone had tried to write something there but then decided to erase it. Shifting over to the girls dorms for his year, Harry spotted a dot which had the word _Archer_ next to it with a similar smudge.

"It does," Harry nodded. Well, it made sense. If it could pick up animagi, ghosts, and people in invisibility cloaks then it would pick up the presence of the Servants. Still, what were those smudges underneath their titles? Was it their true names? Why weren't they visible? Was it because no one in the school knew what their true names were or was it because their names were never spoken out loud in the school?

"_Master, this is an invaluable tool,_" Saber spoke quickly. "_With this, you will be able to see exactly where any enemy Servant is while they are on the grounds._"

"Just what I was thinking," Harry nodded as he began scrolling through the different floors of the school. He kept his eyes peeled for the names Assassin, Caster, Rider, Berserker, and Lancer. He was equal parts hoping to spot them so he would be able to know what his opponents were up to, but at the same time was afraid to find them since it would mean that something would start happening. With how the last few fights between Servants had been, it would likely be explosive, and highly destructive.

Then he saw it.

_Caster._

The dot which was attached to the name was approaching the Great Hall and had apparently walked straight through the front door. Harry felt his gut clench at the sight of the caption while Saber seemed to have stiffened, seeing the same wording.

"_Master, stay up here,_" Saber ordered. "_If anything occurs, get Archer's attention and he shall protect you as well as his Master._"

"Wait, you're going to fight him now?" Harry blinked, turning to look at his Servant.

"_I must,_" Saber replied. "_If I do not, he may end up doing something which could risk the lives of everyone in the school._"

Harry wanted to argue, but he knew that Saber was right. The fight with Caster against Archer and Assassin on the Hogwarts express had almost forced the train off the tracks. Caster had been able to call down thunderstorms according to Archer. Letting him have free reign at Hogwarts would be likely the worst idea out there, second to letting Voldemort step right into the Great Hall and hand over the keys to Hogwarts.

"_I will return,_" Saber spoke before he silently left the room.

Harry watched the black knight vanish into the darkness, and despite the number of people in the room, he began to feel very alone.

**To Be Continued...**

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Okay, this chapter has been long time coming but it's finally here. It dragged on a bit furthur than I intended though. 5000 words farther than I intended to tell the truth. Still, I've set up another clash between Servants and hope you guys tremble in anticipation of it. Till next time! **


	9. Clash of Heroes

I do not own Harry Potter or Fate/Stay Night. Those belong to their respective creators and not me. I am only writing this for fun and not for any sort of profit. So for those loyal fans out there, sit back, relax, and enjoy the update.

Fate/Ingens Cor

By Ten-Faced Paladin

Chapter 9: Clash of Heroes

The halls leading away from the Gryffindor Tower were usually silent save for Filch stalking the halls in his search for students out of bed, the house elves cleaning up the odd mess Filch couldn't get to, or Peeves just making a nuisance of himself which usually resulted in a mess which the house elves had to clean in the first place. The portraits were either sleeping or silently conversing and have late night visits with one another. To be honest, it seemed like it was going to be a normal night. The Fat Lady, the portrait who protected the entry into the Gryffindor common room was talking with her friend Violet from another portrait about something a charming gentleman in a portrait from the first floor had gotten up to with a lady from the sixth floor portraits which was a cause for gossip.

"I certainly can't believe he was caught red handed like that!" The Fat Lady gushed, scandalized by the hot gossip.

"I know," Violet nodded. "I knew those two were going to get caught one day! I just didn't think it would be like that!"

"Oh has the baroness heard yet?" asked the Fat Lady. "If she has then everyone is going to find out and-AH!"

In the midst of her gushing over gossip, the Fat Lady and her friend Violet were caught by complete surprise when only a few steps away from them appeared a man wearing a most intimidating suit of black armour. The two women couldn't help but stare as the black knight as he walked away down the hall, not even daring to speak lest they catch his attention. When the knight vanished down the stairs, the two women allowed themselves to breathe once again.

"Wh-who was that?" asked Violet. "One of the ghosts?"

"It…it must have been," the Fat Lady replied, although she sounded far from sure. "He must be new though."

Saber didn't wait around to explain himself from to the portraits. Once he had reached the stairs and would be far enough away from the dorm rooms to have absolutely now chance of alerting the people inside as to his presence, he broke out into a full run so to get to the Great Hall before Caster could leave and set up his plans elsewhere in the school. Dashing down corridors, startling a few more portraits in the process, Saber tapped into his prana and activated his second Noble Phantasm. Bringing up the power, he activated it, "_For Someone's Glory._"

Black smoke began to emerge from Saber's armour and wrapped around him like a cloak, obscuring the features of his armour, his general shape, and every discernable detail about his suit. The slit in his helmet lit up, turning bright blue with a magic light. The only features of Saber that one would be able to be sure of when they saw him in that state would be his height and wearing armour but any other aspect was a mystery. Even his voice would sound warped and strange, no one being able to discern the pitch or tone. All they would hear would be words with a voice which no two people would agree on sounding the same. This was For Someone's Glory. At its best, Saber could use it to completely disguise himself as another Heroic Spirit who was famous for mighty military achievements. However, he knew nothing about Caster save for what Archer told him and some guesses on who he may be but nothing concrete so he wasn't sure what Heroic Spirit could possibly be used to intimidate the Servant. So he would use the first effect of his Noble Phantasm which would obscure his identity further than what his armour already had, making it nigh impossible to discern who he was in case that this Caster was who Saber thought he was.

The black knight raced down the hallways and stairwells, startling a number of portraits and a ghost or two in the process. He practically flew down the stairs which didn't attempt to change or move with him like they had the habit of doing whenever they felt like it. Reached the ground floor, Saber ran through the halls further before he reached the entry to the Great Hall. Coming to a stop, he peered through the doorway into the Great Hall.

Caster was indeed there, standing in the middle of the hall between the four tables where the students would sit. Saber's eyes narrowed as he spied the figure clad in his emerald armour with the nature effigies carved onto the surface with the green pelt cloaked across his shoulders. His battle axe was gripped in his hands with the emeralds glinting in the candlelight. Caster wasn't moving and seemed to be waiting for something.

"There's no point hiding," Caster spoke. "I was able to sense you coming for some time."

Saber bit back a curse, regretting not having Presence Concealment. Still, with any hope of a surprise attack gone he would have to go out and face Caster like a knight should. He prepared to step out but a sudden tapping noise on his shoulder caused him to whirl around. He at first feared that his Master had followed him out of some misguided sense of responsibility, but was slightly surprised to see that it was one of the suits of armour which decorated the halls. Saber quirked an eyebrow before the suit lifted its sword up, offering it to him.

"…my thanks," Saber nodded, taking the offered sword. Wrapping his hand around the blade, his prana quickly flooded it, turning the steel dark with glowing veins across the surface. A weapon in hand, Saber turned his attention back to the main hall before he stepped forward.

* * *

><p><strong>Gryffindor Tower<strong>

Harry kept a strict eye on the Marauder's Map as he watches Saber's progress through the school. If he didn't know better, the stairways were actually cooperating for a change and going for a direct path to the Great Hall. Harry knew by experience that the stairways liked to change where they went at some of the most inconvenient of times, either when one was late for class or while they were on the stairs when they decided to change. Usually the students had to simply hope that the steps wouldn't take a flight of fancy at the wrong time. Even the most straightforward path to anywhere someone wanted to go in Hogwarts would never be truly straightforward on account of those troublesome stairs. This was the first time that he had seen them go from Point A to Point B without making the user turn through Point C and D along the way.

Harry watched in fear as the dot marked _Saber _drew closer to the Great Halll where another dot marked _Caster _waited inside. Harry gulped as he feared that Caster was waiting for something if he was simply standing in the middle of the Great Hall. It was impressive, yes, but it didn't exactly mean one had been that much in awe. The _Saber_ marking stepped into the Great Hall and Harry felt his breath hitch.

Were he paying attention to other portions of the map, he would have seen a very faint dot step into the castle from a window before it faded away completely.

_Assa…_

* * *

><p><strong>Great Hall<strong>

Caster eyed the mass of black which entered the Great Hall. The smoke which came from the Servant's body seemed to be actively preventing him from seeing anything which may hint at his opponent's identity or even how to recognize him. At best, he could tell that the Servant wore a black suit of armour which had a glowing blue slit in the helmet for him to see through. Anything else was being obscured by the magical smoke.

"And so one of the last two Servants has appeared," Caster nodded to his fellow knight. "Tell me, which are you? Rider or Berserker?"

"Neither," the black Servant answered, even his voice disguised and sounding deep and strange. "I am Servant Saber."

"What?" Caster frowned, quirking an eyebrow beneath his helmet. "You jest. I have already seen the one who is to be Servant Saber. A knight though you seem to be, you are definitely not the King of Knights."

"I do not lie," the black knight answered taking point several feet in front of Caster, at the foot of the teacher's table. "I am Servant Saber for this Grail War and I am your opponent now."

Caster frowned, but gripped his axe. He had been positive that Arturia was Saber for this Holy Grail War while his latest opponent was merely Rider since he was obviously not insane enough to be Berserker. Still, why try to continue with the ruse when he had been found out by the enemy? No, this fool likely thought he could convince Caster that he was indeed Servant Saber despite his ruse being found out. Still, he was right about one thing at least. The black knight was now Caster's opponent.

"Well, it seems we're at an impasse then," the green knight spoke. "I intend to find my Master and work on our stratagem for the War. However, you intend to keep me from entering since we are opponents in the same War and you no doubt suspect that I am up to something."

"You already threatened many lives on the train," the black knight replied, raising his sword. "I intend to make sure you do not threaten another."

"Ah, so you were that final Servant that did not appear," Caster nodded, shifting his axe. "So it seems we have a problem then."

"We do," the black knight nodded.

The two knights were silent for a moment as they stared one another down. The black one easily recognized the green one, but took steps to keep the same from happening to him. An old grudge was ready to be settled by this point. Saber and Caster kept their eyes on one another, not moving for an inch. Both knew that making the first move could be a mistake when your opponent was a Heroic Spirit whose name was still being spoken of by the masses even today. One wrong step could mean the different between life and death.

Not even the flames from the floating candles or the torches on the walls dared crackle to set off the two Servants.

The moon came out from behind the clouds, allowing the light to shine through the windows.

Suddenly, as if using the light as a signal the two knights charged.

CLANG!

WHOOM!

The two knights were on each other in a flash. Axe met sword as the steel gave off a powerful ringing noise. The magic in the two blades clashed with purple and green sparks. The force of the blows made ripples in the air as the two weapons clashed against one another. The knights didn't stay still long before they pulled back their weapons, swinging at one another again and again. Each slash brought out the sound of steel on steel with air being displaced by the force of the blows. The floating candles were pushed higher into the cloudy ceiling while the sparks of green and purple lit up the spaces they left behind.

Saber and Caster danced around one another, slashing their blades at one another with a storm of clashing steel. The black knight attempted an overhead swing against his emerald opponent which was swiftly dodged and cleaved through the bench of the Hufflepuff table, sending splinters into the air. Caster reacted quickly and swung wide, aiming at Saber's torso. The black knight stepped back to avoid the blow, but lunged forward once again. The force of the strike pushed Caster back against the Ravenclaw table, pressing against his legs and limiting his movement. Grunting, he gripped the edge of the table with one hand and hefted strongly. The table was launched clear off of its legs and smashed into the Gryffindor table with a clattering smash. Room to breathe again, Caster pushed back, forcing Saber back before rushing the back knight with a shoulder thrust that knocked him off of his feet and landed him right on top of the Hufflepuff table. Bellowing, Caster aimed his axe for an overhead strike which would cave in Saber's chest if it connected. Acting quickly, Saber dropped his weapon before grabbing the edges of the table and with sheer arm strength yanked himself off the table and to the other side before landing on his feet. Caster's axe came down and smashed into the table, bisecting it with the shockwave of the blow cutting into benches of each side of the table and splitting them as well. Caster didn't stop though. Pushing past the table pieces, he charged at the now weaponless Saber.

Saber was never without a weapon though.

The black knight grasped one of the bisected bench halves before lifting it up and swinging it wide. The item turned black with the vein-like marks as it was swung and made contact with the side of Caster's head. A hollow thunking noise sounded off before Caster hurtled through the air and crashed into the stone just in front of the teacher's table. Saber adjusted his balance properly as if he had fought using a cut bench his entire life and let it rest on his shoulders, eyeing the downed green knight.

Grunting, Caster shook his head before getting back to his feet, "Hnn. Now I must admit that is a surprise. You can turn anything you touch into your Noble Phantasm, can't you?"

"So I can," Saber nodded. There was no point in hiding it now that the enemy had seen Knight of Honour in action. Still, the element of surprise was now used up in having a proper weapon at hand. However, there was still the surprise brought about by just what could be considered and used as a weapon.

"Interesting," Caster admitted as he eyed Saber. "Well, since you showed off one of your skills, allow me to show off one of mine." Caster raised his axe again, this time pointing it straight up. The emeralds on the surface began to light up with a green pulse. Saber prepared to face anything, but what he got was the entire room beginning to tremble as if there was an earthquake suddenly striking. Of course, considering Caster's ability an earthquake may truly be happening!

Saber struggled to keep his balance, wondering what Caster's next move might be. Dust fell from the walls as the mortar between the ancient stones was disturbed, the wood chips on the ground from the destroyed tables and benches rattled, the banners of the four houses rippled against the walls. The black knight frowned behind his helmet while trying to keep on his balance, but he never let his eyes leave Caster's movement. The green knight seemed to be almost smirking as the earthquake continued; feeling like it was shaking the foundations of the very school. Caster then took his axe and pointed it forward at the black knight. The wall behind Caster shook more violently when a scraping noise sounded off before the large stone blocks began to shoot out from the wall with the force of bullets.

Saber's eyes noticed that the back ends of the blocks were filed down slightly at an angle, likely the earthquake had filed down the stones so they could slip out while loosening them at the same time. Then the gravity of the rest of the castle sent the blocks flying out like they would…of course the remaining stones would against all odds keep the castle standing just the same. Marble Phantasms, if it was within the realm of chance regardless of how small then it would happen if the user wished it.

Saber moved into action, twisting his improvised weapon around him like a bow staff. He smashed the blocks out of the air, twirling like a black tornado in his attempts to keep from being pummelled by the large stone blocks. Knocking a large block out of the way, Saber's eyes widened when he spotted another which had been flying in close behind it. He barely had time to raise his weapon before the block smashed into his weapon and managed to break it in two. It was considered a Noble Phantasm to be sure while in his hands, but it was a low-ranked one which could be broken easily and with an opponent who used a Marble Phantasm? It was an easy possibility to achieve. The block continued onward and smashed into Saber's face, sending him skidding backwards onto the floor at the opposite end of the hall. Grunting, Saber's vision swam as he tried to get back onto his feet.

"You are certainly a skilled knight," Caster called from his end. "Certainly worthy of your legend if your fighting skills are any indication."

Saber grunted and moved to a kneeling position. He managed to keep his hands on his now broken weapon, but shifted his grip to the bench legs to wield the two halves as if they were a pair of tonfa. Caster seemed to see that his opponent wasn't going to go down so easily and with another wave of his hands, caused more blocks to shoot out from the wall behind him. Saber shifted to his feet and prepared himself for the next barrage.

* * *

><p>Arturia had sensed it before she felt it. She was in the middle of her exploration of the highest towers of the school and the connected floor. She had split her concentration on exploring the rooms she could access and her senses on the lookout for the other Servants which may enter the school. She had been slightly annoyed by how the suits of armour kept bowing to her wherever she went since they made noise when they did so and could have threatened to announce her presence. The animated portraits looked on in confusion, but she noticed that the ones depicting times and scenes closer to her era were just as deferent as the suits were. She was pretty sure one of them was a copy of a portrait her servants made in her time if the scenery was right, but she didn't pay it too much mind. Although, she was rather obvious in her placement in the portrait since she was dressed in her battle outfit with Excalibur gripped in her hand, battling against one of the various warlords she had dealt with during her reign although they looked a great deal more savage and demonic than she remembered. Seeing that a portrait like that was around, it made sense the animated pictures would recognize her.<p>

Her senses immediately picked up on the Servant entering the castle on the ground floor. She grit her teeth as she turned to race back to the stairs so she could get to the ground floor. However, she had a slight problem. She didn't know where the fastest path to the Grand Hall was. She had memorized the paths and routes she knew to her rooms, to her current position, and to the Grand Hall but it wasn't the fastest route and at the moment speed was key.

As she considered trying to find a new route, she suddenly had an idea. Looking about, she spotted one of the suits of armour still kneeling reverently in the hallway she occupid. Jogging over to the suit, she stood in front of it like she would one of her soldiers. The suit noticed it was in her sights and looked up to see her face.

"Knight, tell me the quickest route to the Great Hall!" she ordered.

The suit nodded and quickly stood up. Raising its weapon, it pointed to the right down the hall to indicate a direction. Arturia looked down the hall and saw another suit stand up and point in the same direction. All of the suits she saw were standing up and pointing in the same direction, indicating where she could go. The King of Knights figured the suits were connected to the magic which animated the castle and would thus all know her request. Having no other course of action beyond taking the long way or flying blind, Arturia began dashing down the hall with her eyes on the directions that the suits were pointing at.

Dashing down to the first stairwell, she bit back a curse as she skidded to a stop as she found that the stairs had moved. The Transfirguration teacher had warned them that the castle was flighty at times and would change the hallways, doorways, or stairways on whims or in a way of amusement. She was about to turn around and go find another stairway when the scraping stone sounds caught her attention. Looking down, she spotted the missing stairs in question turning to position themselves at her feet. Once the stone steps were in place, Arturia began charging down them towards the next floor lower. As she ran, a suit of armour stepped out from the doorway at the opposite end of the stairs she was on and began pointing to the left. Glancing, Arturia saw that more stairs were extending up to connect to the landing she was heading for.

The castle was making the path for her. She wasn't sure why though. The Founders of the school made Hogwarts four or five centuries after her reign had ended. Why would the school act to her with such deference? Was it something about her which revealed her kingship of Britain which the magic of the school could sense that others couldn't? Or perhaps Merlin had something to do with it? He had survived her and she had no doubt that despite his looks, the man had at least a hundred years or more left on him. Then again, she understood that her legend stated that she did not die, but instead was preserved by magic and slept in the land of fae called Avalon where she would remain until Britain needed her again. Maybe the Founders believed that?

Either way it didn't matter. Arturia raced down the stairs and at each landing there was a suit of armour pointing at the next stairwell to tell her she had to keep going. Eventually coming to the bottom of the stairs, she spotted two more suits pointing to a doorway which she promptly followed. Racing down the hall, she found more of the suits pointing in the direction she needed to go. Following them, she found herself in more familiar hallways. Another suit pointed the way to the final door which entered into the Grand Hall.

Arturia saw the two Servants locked in combat. The first was Caster whom she recognized from the train. At the other end of the hall deflecting flying blocks of rock was a knight being obscured by black smoke with a glowing visor and using a broken bench like a pair of tonfa. The sight of the black knight caused Arturia to pale and her pupils shrank in shock at what she was looking. Strength left her arms and the tip of Excalibur dropped to the ground. Her body trembled at the sight of the black knight, memories of a tortured and mad Servant who hunted her so ruthlessly during the chaos and death of the Fourth Grail War. The torment she felt when she discovered who he was and the guilt and shame she felt when he died in her arms, finally feeling relief from his unending pain.

"Please…not again…," Arturia whimpered. "Hasn't he suffered enough?" Her words came out shaking and slow. "…please…don't let him be that monster again…if you have any mercy God…don't let him have been summoned as that mad wretch again…"

Arturia's shock and silent begging prevented her from moving, only watching the battle continue as the black knight blocked the stony blows from the flying rocks guided by the green knight. Her mind raced with prayers begging that the black knight she was looking at was not the monster that she remembered from the past. The influx of memories, guilt, and shame concerning him kept her feet rooted to the ground as she watched his movements, looking for any sign that he wasn't the monster which she faced in the past. She silently begged, prayed, and pleaded that she wasn't seeing one of the men she considered to be her loving older brother in all but blood be turned into a raging Berserker a second time.

However, a soldier and a leader's instincts are not shut down entirely so easily. Movement captured her attention at the back of the room behind her most loyal knight and she saw that several of the stone blocks which made up the wall were jiggling loose. She instantly came to the conclusion that Caster was subtly manipulating the stones while distracting his opponents with the ones currently flying at him. Seeing the giant hunks of rock wriggling their way out of their spots from vibrations in the walls merely confirmed to it her.

"Lancelot, behind you!" Arturia cried out, pointing at the rear wall.

Both knights were quickly alerted by her voice and glanced at her.

* * *

><p><strong>Gryffindor Tower<strong>

Harry watched on the Marauder's Map the dots marked _Caster _and _Saber_ dance around one another before slamming into each other. He knew that the two Servants were fighting but he could only pray that Saber would be okay. During the fight though, a third dot came onto the scene marked _Saber/Arturia Pendragon_. Harry assumed it was one of the new members of the staff since he had never met or heard of an Arturia before. He also suspected that it was the blonde woman since the other woman had been introduced and the name sounded distinctly female to him. But why was she called Saber too? Was it a nickname? However, the question quickly left his mind since after a moment of the dot standing at the entrance to the Great Hall, Saber's marking changed.

_Saber/Lancelot of the Lake._

Harry's eyes bulged as he saw his Servant's mark gain its new title. Was…was this Saber's true name? Was this who he was in his past life? A knight of the legendary round table of King Arthur? The one who held an affair with Guinevere? The one who battled his fellow knights to protect her? Could Harry's black knight really be that same man?

"No…way," he gasped out.

* * *

><p>Saber's heart stopped when he heard that voice. Of all the voices that were to make an interruption in the battle, the one that called out his name was the very last one that he wanted to hear. Glancing to the source, and felt his gut hollow out when he saw her standing at the entrance to the Great Hall. Her face was in open shock, she was pale, and her eyes were wide in shock. No doubt she was horrified at his appearance. Still, she was able to tell it was him? How was she able to tell it was him? Was it simply because of her experience with his disguises that he had worn in his lifetime? Either way, she could still tell that it was him.<p>

'_Don't look at me,_' Saber silently begged as he watched his king stare at him. '_I didn't want you to see me like this. Don't look at me!_'

Then Caster's chuckle broke the air, "Heh!"

WHOOM!

A large weight suddenly crashing into his back bashed into him and sent him crashing into the floor. His improvised weapons flew from his hands and lost their His vision swam again before he managed to get his senses back. Glancing to his back, he saw that more large blocks of stone had been dislodged from the wall behind him and had been launched at him. The black knight cursed himself for his inattentiveness. Stone was all around him, not just at Caster's side. All of it was within the green knight's ability to manipulate.

"Lancelot!" Arturia called, beginning to run towards her friend. However, a chunk of the wall on the right side of the wall launched out and cut off her path, smashing into the ground and causing her to leap back on reflex. Her eyes flashed as she glared at the green knight. "Bertilak!"

"Ah, ah, ah your majesty," Caster chuckled. "Your knight and I are in the midst of a duel. No interruptions." Dealt with for the moment, the green knight turned his attention back to the Green Knight. "So, is that truly you Lancelot? My, I wasn't able to recognize you. Truly you have fallen if you adorn yourself as such."

"What I do to atone for my shame is no business of yours!" Saber retorted hotly, standing up. He didn't notice Arturia's eyes suddenly flood with relief as the words left his mouth, indicating that he was not mad nor was he Berserker. "Your fight is with me Green Knight! Leave my king out of this!"

"Oh? Well, since I am now outnumbered anyway it would be best if I took the strategic route now isn't it?" Caster shrugged. Raising his axe, the emeralds flashed once again. The walls of the room shook once more before several blocks of stone flew at Arturia and Saber at bullet speeds. The King of Knights raised Excalibur and swung widely, destroyed the stone blocks in showers of dust which created clouds of dust. Bereft of any other weapon, Saber knew he had no choice. He lashed out with his hand as a deep purple light appeared in it which moved to quickly and destroyed the blocks aimed at him. The dust concealed everything from sight, obscuring the knights' view of the room. Caster's voice was in a deep chuckle as the pair felt his presence leaving the room.

"So many familiar faces!" Caster laughed. "I look forward to meeting you both on the field of battle again!"

Arturia and Saber both coughed as the dust died down, allowing them to see again. Arturia and Saber found themselves in the middle of the destroyed Great Hall. The black knight was no longer concealed inside his Noble Phantasm. In his hand was a sword, HIS sword. The handle was a deep cobalt blue with the hilt being a curved arc which chains wrapped around the hilt and bottom of the blade. The centre of the blade itself was a metallic silver with fairy letters etched onto it. The rest of the sword's blade was a metallic blue/black, completing its image. Once it was a holy sword which could have competed with Excalibur, but it grew corrupted when used to slay Lancelot's fellow knights in order to save Guinevere from her execution. It radiated resentment and anger to all those sensitive to it and despite its corruption; it was still a powerful sword.

This was Arondight, The Unfading Light of the Lake.

"Lancelot…" Arturia whispered, her shock at seeing her dearest friend again returning now that the battle was over.

"Don't…" the black knight retorted, his voice dark and hollow. "Don't speak my name. Please do not foul your mouth with the name of a traitor such as I."

Arturia swallowed a sob as she heard one of the men she trusted so implicitly talk about himself in such a way. No matter how much she had said she was not angry nor did she blame him for that incident, he refused to forgive himself for it. She hated seeing him torture himself like this. She cursed the Holy Grail's failsafe in preventing the Servants from remembering events of previous Grail Wars they had participated in. Lancelot had found his peace at the end of the fourth and now had to suffer all over again in the sixth.

"We are…to be opponents…in this Holy Grail War?" asked Saber with trepidation.

"N-no," Arturia choked. "I am not part of this War. I remained after the previous War ended."

Saber stared at his king for a moment before a regretful chuckle came to his lips despite his best efforts, "The Lord has mercy where it is needed most then. You never could lie properly to myself or Kay."

"No…I never could," the blonde woman agreed. Kay and Lancelot could always seem to tell what she was thinking about and she could never slip any kind of falsehood past them. They knew her too well for that.

Both king and knight were silent as they tried to think of something to say, but the only things they could think of seemed shallow and useless in face of their history and the pain it involved. They were not bitter towards one another about it, just very much guilty and regretful about the past with thoughts of how they could have dealt with the situation better. Saber did not regret falling in love with Guinevere, but he did regret not taking as much care as he could have in hiding the affair. Both he and the queen deeply regretted hurting Arturia like they did. Both saw her as a sister they never had despite having to keep her true gender secret and hated having forced her hand with their affair. Arturia on the other hand regretted not keeping the snakes in her court under a tighter leash so they wouldn't have been able to use the affair as a means of trying to attack her politically for their own gain. That way she possibly wouldn't have been forced to sentence them both to death like she had, forcing Lancelot to fight as he had.

"Saber!" a voice called out from the nearby hall. Arturia and Saber both turned their faces to the voice to see Shirou dash into the hall with both Kanshou and Bakuya gripped in his hands. Behind him Rin was close behind although she was slightly short of breath. Both skidded to a halt when they saw the familiar form of Arturia standing a few feet away from the black knight.

"Our time is short," Saber sighed, dismissing his sword in a flash of purple light. "For my sake of mind, please do not concern yourself with a wretched soul like mine." The black knight then began to walk towards a different exit of the Great Hall, vanishing into astralization.

"Lancelot…" Arturia whispered, watching him vanish before her senses told him he was gone from the room.

"Lancelot?" Rin blinked, but then her eyes widened in shock. "That was-!"

"Saber," Shirou called out to his former Servant. Walking to the blonde's side, he gently grasped her shoulder. Arturia turned her gaze to her love and shocked both him and Rin with the tears that were shining in her eyes as well as trailing down her face. Arturia sniffled before eliciting a choked sob and threw herself into Shirou's arms, surprising him slightly. However, he quickly got over it and wrapped his arms around her while de-tracing his weapons. The King of Knights took solace in his arms and sobbed quietly, her heart breaking at seeing her tortured friend all over again. Shirou closed his eyes and silently held one of the two women he loved tightly. Right now he didn't see Saber or the King of Knights, he saw Arturia Pendragon who desperately needed comforting now that another aspect of her past had come back to haunt her.

* * *

><p>Hidden in the shadows of another entrance to the Great Hall was Assassin. She had taken the silent approach towards the school after resting on the train engine and allowing her body to fight off the poison which she had exposed herself to. Should Archer try that trick with his green arrows again, he would be in for a surprise when he saw it wouldn't work. Moving stealthily across the grounds around the school, she scaled up the side before entering through one of the windows. She activated her Presence Concealment as she went to avoid getting caught by any sentries or other Servants.<p>

When she entered she had begun sensing Caster using his magic again and decided to go observe so that she could get a better read on his abilities and ways to defeat him. She considered it good fortune to see him battle against a previous unknown Servant. He claimed to be Saber and despite the fog which surrounded him, she believed it. His ability to turn anything he touched into a Noble Phantasm was a cause for worry, but the knowledge that he could do that would help even the playing field. The battle grew heated and threatened the integrity of the walls of the room after Caster began his attacks. Then that blonde woman with the invisible sword entered the fray…and gave her their names.

'_Bertilak and Lancelot,_' she pondered as she eyed the blonde and who she assumed to be her lover and Master trying to comfort her.

Names held power and finding the names of both Caster and Saber was an immense advantage over them both. Since the blonde knew them, she was likely someone from their times but was she truly a remnant from a previous Grail War? Was such a thing possible? It likely was since Assassin was looking at the evidence right in front of her.

Still, strange Servants aside Assassin knew she was sitting on likely a key to defeating both Saber and Caster, two of the three Servants that would stand against the Master of Berserker and his lunatic plans. As a Servant, she had a duty to report this to her Master so that he could decide the best course of action. However, the snot was far from what she'd call a strategic mind and would likely send her to kill the pair of them once he learned just why the names were significant. A goal to fight for in the War to be sure, but the dolt would likely just walk up and challenge them and have her fight them head to head. A guaranteed way to get her killed. Most magi she saw since being summoned couldn't seem to consider the option of stealth and assassinations a viable tactic and the ones who did were ostracized by their peers and generally ignored no matter how successful they were. Her Master's organization seemed be all about brutal tactics and terrorizing people while the only subtlety they had was when it came to influencing members of the government to look the other way when they decided to do something.

No, her Master wasn't intelligent enough to use the information of Caster and Saber's true names properly. Stepping back into the shadows, she turned to find a suitable place to hide herself away from the prying eyes of animated portraits and moving suits of armour.

She'd sit on her information for now until her Master proved wise enough to use those names properly.

She'd likely have a while to wait.

* * *

><p><strong>Gryffindor Tower<strong>

Harry sat alone in the common room of the Gryffindor tower, waiting for Saber to come back. When he saw that the fight between Caster and Saber had ended and he left the Great Hall, he put the Marauder's Map away before heading down to the main area of the tower to wait for the black knight. His mind was in a whirl of questions when he discovered the true name of his Servant. He'd been told that Saber had been a legend in real life so he half expected his identity to be someone famous. Still, expecting it or not he still seemed to find himself utterly shocked by the name of the Servant he had accidentally summoned.

Lancelot of the Lake.

Harry had been an avid reader throughout his primary school years. It was one of the only things he could do that Dudley and his gang would leave him along about since they always took the time to avoid libraries and such places like the plague. They all hated reading and learning which likely explained why they didn't have the best records or reputations in school. To Harry, it was a refuge from his relatives' distaste for his existence. He still remembered when he was old enough to really appreciate the stories and books when he got one of his own, so to speak. It had been his ninth birthday and the nice librarian had given Harry a gift of a book about King Arthur as a free loan under her name. Hiding it had been easy since the Dursleys never went into his place under the stairs and whenever he could, he'd read it cover to cover.

He recalled the stories of how Arthur pulled his sword Caliburn from the stone which revealed his right to rule over Britain. He read the story of how when Caliburn was broken, the Lady of the Lake gifted Arthur with the sword Excalibur which was so magical, Arthur could never lose a battle and the sheathe of that sword would make sure he never got hurt. He revelled in the stories of the round table and the knights who protected the realm, wishing now and then that one of them would come and be his friend, taking him to Camelot. He read about Gawain, Percival, Kay, and all of those proud and noble knights who were legends unto themselves.

One of his favourites was Lancelot.

Lancelot was obviously the mightiest out of all of the knights. Slaying dragons, rescuing princesses, beating bad guys, he had done it all. He of course read about that proud knight's fall from grace with his affair with Guinevere and the terrible sadness that came out of it. Many argued that it was one of the things which contributed to Camelot's eventual downfall, but Harry didn't dwell on that. He also knew that was wrong to date people when you were already married. Having listened in to his Aunt Petunia's rants on propriety when she gossiped about the neighbours taught him at least that much. No, Harry's attention wasn't focused on that aspect of Lancelot's legend either.

He envied Lancelot.

Lancelot had managed to do what Harry wished he could: Find somebody to love.

Harry knew he didn't have a great childhood and the Dursleys sure didn't want him and said as much several times while Harry was young. Despite Dumbledore and everyone else's claims that the Dursley's surely loved him, Harry felt otherwise all of his life. He just wanted to feel wanted, loved, and appreciated whenever he did well on something. Instead, he was unwanted, considered a burden, and punished whenever he did better than Dudley on anything which was unfortunately often since Dudley was so fat and stupid he tended to do poorly at everything that didn't involve raw muscle.

It was that reason why Harry envied Lancelot despite how morally wrong it was for him to begin his affair with Guinevere. Lancelot had found that one woman who made life worth living, made everything feel like it would get better, made everything worth fighting for, the one who he would do and did anything for. In his younger days, Harry would just sit back and think how lucky Lancelot was for finding someone like that, and wonder if there was anyone similar out there for him. Of course, it would be just a dream since none of the girls in the neighbourhood would want to be near Harry lest they risk Dudley's attention.

Harry's introspection was cut off when Saber phased through the portrait of the Fat Lady and entered the common room. It had brought the scarred boy some relief to see his Servant safe after all despite having seen him leave the Great Hall on the Marauder's Map.

"Saber…are you okay?" asked Harry.

"_I took some damage, but I will recover,_" the black knight answered, walking over to his Master.

"Good," Harry nodded. Silence began to fill the space between the pair as Harry struggled to try and say something. Still, how do you say to someone who made it a fact to remind you of how important hiding his identity that you learned his true name?

"_Is something wrong Master?_" asked Saber, seeing his Master's discomfort.

Harry glanced at Saber's visor before looking at the floor. Heaving a sigh, he decided that he was just going to act strange around the black knight until he confessed to what he knew so he may as well say it to avoid the problem, "When you were fighting Caster…the mark on the Marauder's Map that was you changed."

"_It did?_" asked Saber. "_How?_"

"It called you…Lancelot of the Lake," Harry confessed.

Saber stiffened at the mention of his true name, but his silence was more deafening than any kind of exclamation or similar outcry. Harry himself felt his guts twist around under Saber's stare as he instantly regretted opening his mouth. The silence from the black knight felt like it went on for eternity before the Servant let out a deep sigh. As he exhaled, he returned to his solid form and stood across from Harry on the soft carpet.

"Truly, my Master seems to find his way into everything," Saber commented.

"Sorry…" Harry offered weakly.

"Don't be," the knight reassured him. Turning, he claimed one of the chairs and moved it so that he would sit across from Harry near the fire. He then took a seat so to give Harry his full attention. "You likely would have found out eventually. It was a given since one of my adventures was discovering my name."

"So you really are Lancelot?" asked Harry.

Saber didn't reply verbally, but instead reached up to his helmet. With a sharp tug, the black steel was removed to show the Servant's true face. He was a handsome man with strong, defined features which easily could have brought him fame with the women. His hair was a deep black, near purple shade which fell to his shoulders. His eyes were sharply defined, like the rest of his face but there were bags under his eyes and said eyes were dark with guilt and remorse. It was a sight Harry was familiar with since he had seen himself wearing it in the mirror in the days since Cedric had been killed.

"I am Lancelot of the Lake," Saber nodded. "Should you have gotten further in the dreams, you likely would have seen the moment where I had learned my name."

"When you dealt with the Copper Knight," Harry finished. "Strange how it didn't seem to connect with me before. I read about your adventures so often I should have known from the start. But then again, muggles aren't too sure if you or Camelot existed in the first place so I guess I just took it as a fairy tale."

"Legends do tend to be obscured by the passage of time," the former Knight of the Round agreed. "Even the heroes of my time are not immune to that."

Harry and Saber fell into silence as one waited for the other to continue speaking. Saber was always patient and wanted to let his Master digest the knowledge that his Servant was none other than the greatest traitor in the history of Britain. Knowing that was something of a serious surprise and likely not a pleasant one. He slightly feared that it would change his Master's attitude towards him, but the black knight was prepared for that much. It would serve as part of his penance after all.

"You always were my favourite out of them all," Harry confessed.

Saber blinked and turned an incredulous stare at his Master. Had he heard that correctly?

"Fighting villains, saving damsels, killing dragons, winning tournaments, you had done it all," Harry rambled. "Your stories were the ones I would read the most."

"And what did you think after I fell from grace?" asked Saber. If the tales of his deeds were famous still, likely his traitorous ones were even more well-known.

"I envied you."

Saber blinked, "What?"

Harry flushed slightly, bowing his head, "I know you did bad things at the end, but I still envied you. You've seen how the Dursley's treat me. I'm not wanted or appreciated there and they'd likely throw a party if I went away and never came back. All of the kids in the neighbourhood were afraid to get near me since it would mean Dudley's gang would start picking on them like they would me. The adults don't trust me either since Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon spread lies about me going to some school for criminal boys during the school year. I'm more or less isolated and alone when I'm there and now it's like that at Hogwarts too with the Ministry spreading lies about me and just about everyone turning away from me like I was diseased or something."

"What makes me so enviable then?" asked Saber, frowning at the explanation and wishing he had punched the bear of a man harder. "I betrayed my oaths to my king, slew my fellow knights, desecrated everything I had dedicated myself too. What was it about me that you could possibly envy?"

Harry looked up and saw the man was frowning at him. Sighing, knowing he came at least this far in the conversation and so pushed himself further, "You had someone who loved you."

Saber blinked again, but his frown then gave way to a look of understanding. Recalling his Master's explanation of his life, Saber realized what Harry found so enviable about the black knight now. Harry never knew his parents, had to stay with beastly relations who made their opinions on him quite clear, had to deal with several classmates who were quick to accuse or turn their backs on him the first moment it seemed like he was doing something wrong, and had many evil people desiring his death for little more than existing. Love had never been there in his life and although he had people who cared about him, it wasn't the same thing. Saber on the other hand knew very well what love felt like, albeit forbidden love, but strong and powerful love all the same.

"That would be the only enviable thing about me one could claim," the knight sighed.

"Maybe, but that's a big thing to envy," Harry replied.

"Indeed," Saber admitted, his eyes turning wistful. "Love as powerful as ours was comes only once in a lifetime."

Harry could decide he could agree with that, "What was she like?"

Saber's wistful gaze turned deeper as a smile came to his face at the mere thought of his lost love, "If there had ever been an angel that walked on earth, it would have been her…"

Master and Servant began burning the midnight oil as Saber recalled the woman who had become such a light in his life.

* * *

><p>Caster stalked through the halls of Hogwarts, the suits of armour still watching him with more hostility in their visors than before. Still, they didn't attack him. Likely because now they knew that they wouldn't be able to win but they would still observe him after his performance in the Great Hall.<p>

The green knight's body trembled in excitement as he recalled the battle over and over again. So not only was King Arturia Pendragon in this time, but so was Lancelot of the Lake! The King of Knights and her most loyal knight were both to be his opponents in the Holy Grail War! Humbling the both of them would be a task he would relish with the deepest parts of his soul. Truly, he had been most fortunate to be summoned into this Holy Grail War.

Caster's journey through the halls reached a large portrait of a woman in blue that sat at a desk in a library. She was calmly reading through one of the many books and didn't seem in the least bit tired. Then again, a portrait may not get tired. Caster knew that it was the entrance into the dorm rooms where his Mistress resided and he could have simply phased through to enter. However, there was a fact about the doorway which Caster had found amusing. Since the house of Ravenclaw was one that prized intellect, the students were to answer a riddle to enter rather than remember any kind of password. Caster himself enjoyed keeping his mind sharp as well as his blade. So to that end, he willed himself back into a solid form and appeared in front of the portrait.

"Hm?" the woman in the painting blinked as she saw him appear in the corner of her eye. "Ah, good evening to you."

"Good evening," Caster nodded in response. "Would this be the Ravenclaw quarters?"

"They are indeed," the lady nodded. "However, I cannot let you enter unless you answer a question of mine. Will you hear it?"

"I will," Caster agreed.

"Very well then," the woman nodded. "I fly when happy, yet linger when sad; I am always the same, but there often either is too much of me, or not enough; I am always present, yet can get away from you. What am I?"

Caster took a moment to consider his answer. This was a tricky one, especially for schoolchildren. Likely the portrait had either selected it since he was an adult or the intelligence of the students of Ravenclaw was indeed deserving of its reputation. However, to one who understood the functions of the world on an intimate level, understanding the riddle and answering it were in fact very simple.

"The answer is time," Caster replied firmly.

"Very good," the portrait smiled before swinging on a hidden hinge and revealing a set of stairs. The green knight travelled onward and reached the top of the stone steps to enter into the Ravenclaw common room. It was a cozy space with large soft chairs and couches which were of course coloured blue. Lining the walls were numerous shelves of books with titles ranging from research to casual reading. Of course, the room had a lot of blue and bronze colour decoration, indicating the house colours. Were Caster more like traditional magi, he would have seen the place as a perfect workshop. As it was, it was merely aesthetically pleasing to see in the process of his current goals. Locating the stairways to the dormitories, he sought out the fourth year girl's dormitories where his Mistress would be. Climbing up the stairs was a momentary challenge since the steps attempted to turn into a slide under his feet, but Caster channelled his prana through his axe and the stairs had a…malfunction which overpowered the spell on the steps and allowed him to continue without fear.

Inside the dormitories seemed rather plain, several beds with blue canopies which hid the sleeping girls from sight. The only one which was open held his pale-haired Master who was in the midst of reading her father's periodical…upside-down.

"My lady," Caster whispered, catching Luna's attention.

"Hello Caster," she smiled softly. "Did you have any trouble getting inside?"

"Getting inside, not so much," the green knight shrugged. "Proceeding through the castle was a tad more difficult. I had an encounter with Saber."

"Oh! I saw her majesty during the Welcoming Feast," Luna gasped softly. "I would have paid my respect, but I didn't have the chance."

"She came later, but a black knight claimed to be Saber when he arrived to face me," Caster replied, shaking his head. "It was Lancelot of the Lake."

"Ah!" Luna gasped again, setting her magazine down. "Another one of Britain's greatest legends? Oh my, this is getting terribly exciting, isn't it? I do so hope I'll be able to get a chance to meet him. Daddy would love an interview from one of the greatest knights in history."

"Any scribe worth his pen would," Caster chuckled, once again seeing how unique his Mistress was. It was never boring around her and he certainly couldn't ask for more from her than that.

* * *

><p>Albus Dumbledore was a man who knew many things about the world. His knowledge ran to a variety of different subjects and a multitude of practices. He had spent years using his skills first to combat the forces of the Dark, and then going on to cultivate the minds of the next generations to try and prevent another like Grindelwald from rising up once again. Sadly, he wasn't successful as Tom Riddle began his campaign of 'cleansing' the wizarding world of 'muggle taint.' It truly saddened the wizened headmaster, seeing a man filled with such intellect and charisma filled with so much hate and scorn for everything that was different. Still, Tom made his choice and Albus made his. Dumbledore made plans within plans to ensure that the Light would prevail and that the future of the wizarding world would be safe from the clutches of people like Tom. Many people believed that he would always know what to do in any given situation.<p>

But if someone asked him to explain what happened to the Great Hall only a few hours after the Welcoming Feast ended, he would be at a complete loss.

Tables and benches destroyed, numerous blocks missing from the walls, carpets scuffed up and ripped on the floor honestly, the room looked like someone had gone to war. Albus and a few of his fellow teachers had been woken up by the shaking in the schools foundation and Albus feared that someone was attacking or worse yet an actual earthquake had begun. So he quickly set to work and using his own means of detecting problems in the school to ascertain what had happened. He quickly learned of what was happening in the Great Hall and took Minerva and Severus to investigate. They had quickly come upon the destruction and took stock to see if there was anyone around while Severus began asking the nearby portraits, suits, and passing ghosts if they had noticed anything.

"Thank Merlin it wasn't worse," Minerva sighed with relief, happy to know that no students were involved despite the perpetrators not being caught. "But who could have done this Albus?"

"I don't know," Dumbledore frowned, eyeing the destruction. "And that's what concerns me."

Snape came back through one of the entrances looking rather sour, which wasn't a surprise since the potions master always looked to be in a foul mood. However, Albus liked to think he knew the man very well and would be able to tell his various moods. Snape's current scowl was set deep with narrowed eyes meaning that he didn't find something he wanted and it was grating on his nerves. Say what you like about the man's disposition, but Severus Snape was a man who cared about his job and had enough professionalism to get it done right.

"The paintings claim they saw nothing, as do the suits of armour," Snape reported as he approached his employer and fellow teacher. "No ghosts were nearby either. It seemed none of them saw anything."

"Distressing, but not unexpected," Dumbledore sighed. Of course, of someone could actually get into Hogwarts to do this much damage in the first place, he doubted that anyone would be able to see them in the first place. "Well, the most we can do right now is repair the damage and try to discretely investigate so not to alarm the students."

"Or that Umbridge woman," Snape muttered under his breath. How on earth they weren't being harassed by the toad woman already was beyond him.

Albus didn't make a comment to it, but he secretly agreed. Sighing, he drew his hand into his robes and retrieved a silver bell before ringing it. Immediately, there was a popping noise before the familiar image of a house elf appeared. This fellow was in much healthier condition than old Kreacher with a healthier complexion, obviously younger, and much more spring and cheer in his steps. Of course, he was wearing mismatched socks, a sweater, and even a tea cosy was placed on his head.

The elf's name was Dobby and Dumbledore found him a delightfully eccentric elf. He had been in service of the Malfoy family for many years until Harry's second year where he discovered Lucius Malfoy's plot to open the Chamber of Secrets and unleash the basilisk inside so to attack all of the muggleborn children in the school. Harry managed to slay the beast and after Malfoy and Dobby had arrived at the school, Harry had tricked Lucius into giving Dobby a sock. To house elves, being given clothes represented severing their contract to the family they served which was a mark of shame to the majority of them. However, Dobby had been so horribly mistreated he would have taken freedom any day of the week. Last year, Dumbledore had found Dobby again along with a distraught elf named Winky and after hearing how both of them had been having difficulty finding work, in Dobby's case because he wanted wages and in Winky's case because she was a released elf, he invited the pair of them to work at Hogwarts. Of course, Dobby insisted on being paid a Galleon a week with one day off a month. Albus had offered him more, being ten galleons a month and one day off a week, but Dobby found so much freedom to be frightening so he lowered the rate to what it was. So far, it seemed to be doing the elf a world of good.

"Yes Mister Dumbledore?" asked Dobby. However, the elf seemed slightly nervous about his current position.

"Yes Dobby. Would you and the other elves be so kind as to try and repair the damage to the Great Hall? You can use all of your magic if that is what must be done," Albus spoke.

"Ah, Dobby and other elves could fix easy," Dobby nodded, but then bit his lip. "But…is it being safe?"

"Perfectly safe," Albus reassured the elf. "No harm shall befall any of you while you're working here."

"Oh. Good," Dobby sighed, looking relieved. "Dobby nots wanting to bring bad curses on himself or others for trying to cover up battle of great heroes." With another pop, Dobby left to the kitchens so to recruit the other elves necessary to begin repairing all of the damages to the Great Hall. However, it left Albus feeling slightly confused.

"Battle of great heroes?" he pondered in a whisper.

**To Be Continued…**

* * *

><p>AN: Well, another chapter done and we have Saber and Caster destroying the Great Hall. And it's only the first day back at Hogwarts too! Hopefully this chapter made up for the lack of action in the previous one and we also see the reunion of Saber and Arturia. We can also see that Assassin is perhaps starting to play with her own agenda.


	10. First Day

I do not own Harry Potter or Fate/Stay Night. Those belong to their respective creators and not me. That being said, I can no longer be sued for writing this. Now, please sit back and enjoy this document to your heart's content.

Fate/Ingens Cor

By Ten-Faced Paladin

Chapter 10: First Day

Harry woke up late the next morning. He and Saber had spoken on into the night concerning the latter's adventures and the people he had known during his life as a member of the Round Table. The black knight was quite happy to speak about Guinevere and some of his escapades, such as when he learned his own name after defeating the Copper Knight, putting context to Harry's dream of the white knight during his time in Grimmauld Place. It was like a barrier had been lowered between Master and Servant by learning the latter's name. Perhaps it was because Harry didn't consider Lancelot to be a pariah like so many others did, or perhaps it was simply because there was someone who understood why the black knight did what he did during his life.

Harry had tried asking about King Arthur, but that was one subject which Saber seemed to avoid somewhat. He would speak about deeds that Arthur had done, or even about the legendary sword Excalibur, but when it came to talking about the man personally, the barrier which Saber had between himself and others was still in effect. Harry didn't pry though, not wanting to accidentally offend his Servant by prying too much into his personal life. It was well into the wee hours of the morning before Harry was ushered to bed by his Servant. With only a few hours rest, Harry was back in the waking world.

Only a few others were in the room, dressed and ready for the day, although in Neville's case it seemed his tie was working for a rebellion. Most of the other boys in the room were gone, Seamus being one of them. Harry wasn't surprised, since the two had had a heated argument last night about Harry's mental state, the Prophet's constant slandering, and how many people were accepting it as the uncontested truth when it was more like a denial of reality. Saber was of course there, sitting at the window in his astralized state so that no one would be able to see him while he was keeping an eye on Harry.

"Morning," Harry yawned, speaking both to his fellow students and his Servant. He got a few mumbled replies, but it was Dean Thomas who actually went out of his way to talk to him.

"I'd keep an eye out for Seamus if I were you," the soccer enthusiast warned. "He was in a bad enough mood when he left this morning."

"I can't blame him," Harry sighed, scratching his head as he tried to get the cobwebs out of his mind. "I'll try to apologize when he calms down. I'm just so sick of the Prophet writing lies about me and everyone not even questioning it," He hung his head. "I mean, you guys should all know me best by now."

"Yeah, but you have to admit that you aren't exactly a model student," Dean shrugged. As a muggleborn himself, Dean had a slightly more logical head on his shoulders concerning the outside world. Seamus was a half-blood through his mother's side and likely received the same wizard's inborn lack of logic and blind faith in higher powers that seemed to go with the magical society that Harry knew so well. "That Heir of Slytherin thing back in second year and then all that trouble caused during the Triwizard Tournament. Not to mention all those points you, Hermione, and Ron lost during first year. It doesn't paint a nice picture."

"Right," Harry groaned. He had more or less forgotten about his rough history in Hogwarts. In a certain light, he certainly could be painted as a disruptive student. Rita Skeeter sure gave it her best shot with all of the fake articles she wrote during Fourth Year. Draco Malfoy and Snape would both dish as much dirt about Harry being the little brat as the Ministry wanted to hear just to get at him in their little vendettas. Harry knew that he was innocent of any wrongdoing, or at least had been doing the right thing at the time, but with so much circumstantial evidence to the contrary, or someone just making up scandal to go with it, not many people took his side unless they personally knew him.

Pushing those thoughts aside, Harry hustled and got dressed, not wanting to miss breakfast or his schedule, which was handed out during the first day of every year. He was dressed in a flash and down in the common rooms with Saber silently following him as always. Ron was already downstairs. Hermione was there as well, with Archer by her side, astralized and hidden to all save for Saber and Hermione. He had a big grin on his face, while Hermione looked like she was trying to be secretly scandalized by something.

"What's wrong?" asked Harry, approaching his friends.

"Archer stayed in the girls dorms last night," Ron replied, looking rather impressed. "Hermione tried to kick him out, but she couldn't make him leave."

"Indecent is what it is," the bushy haired girl muttered under her breath.

'_Oh come on Master,_' the emerald bowman laughed. '_It's not like I stared at anyone. I kept my eyes closed at all times. Besides, you're all way too young for me._'

"It's the point of the matter!" Hermione sniped back, earning some looks from the other students who couldn't figure out who she was talking to. "It's completely inappropriate for a man to stay in the same room as – Oh for heaven's sakes!"

The reason for Hermione's sudden outcry was the new poster which had appeared on the bulletin board. It was a large and brightly colored thing that was meant to grab a person's attention. Naturally, two names came to mind as to where it came from.

_GALLONS OF GALLEONS!  
>Pocket money failing to keep pace with your outgoings?<br>Like to earn a little extra gold?  
>Contact Fred and George Weasley, Gryffindor common room,<br>For simple, part-time, virtually painless jobs.  
>(We regret that all work is undertaken at applicant's own risk.)<em>

"This is just too much," Hermione frowned, taking the poster and tearing it off the board. Crumpling it up, she tossed it aside before glancing at Ron, "We're going to have to talk to them."

Ron blinked in alarm, "Why?"

"Because we're prefects!" the bushy-haired girl snapped back. "It's our job to stop things like this!"

'_Sure. Right,_' Archer chuckled as the group headed for the exit. '_Good luck with that._' Archer had been in thick with the twins during their stay in Grimmauld place and knew that simply scolding the pair was hardly something which would stop them. They'd just be more subtle with their movements so the girl wouldn't be able to figure out what they were up to. They were crafty in a way that the redhead couldn't help but praise. Of course, he was craftier.

The trio and their Servants passed through the Fat Lady's portrait heading down with their fellow students to the Great Hall so to get their breakfast. As students were prone to do when they were out an about in groups, they chatted about things.

"Seamus seemed to be in a rotten mood," Hermione commented. "What happened?"

"He reckons that Harry is lying about You-Know-Who and they got in a fight about it," Ron answered, keeping the reply short so not to spark Harry's temper about the subject again.

"Lavender thinks so too," Hermione sighed. "Honestly, people will believe anything."

"More like they don't want to believe," Harry grumbled, feeling another sting about how yet another of his year-mates who should know him best outside of Hermione and Ron sided against him in the face of the Ministry's mudslinging. Still, Saber's words last night rang in Harry's memory and he tried to at least view the subject through the other people's views. "People just don't want to face the idea of him coming back and instead lash out at me and Dumbledore for trying to reveal the truth."

"Well they should just grow up and face it, if only to see if it really is true or not," Hermione huffed. "Honestly, this is what Dumbledore warned us about at the end of last year. It's only been a few months and look how we're fighting amongst each other. We should be listening to the Sorting Hat's warning about standing together and-!"

"And teaming up with the Slytherins? Fat chance," Ron snorted.

"Well I think it's a pity we aren't trying for a little more inter-house unity," the bushy-haired girl frowned.

"Can't really unite with a house in which the majority of the members worship the ground that wanker walks on," Harry countered. The Slytherins were notorious in recent years for supporting Voldemort, and some, like Draco Malfoy, certainly made it no secret that they agreed with his views and supported him. They either supported him out of a patriotic sense, likely because he was a descendant of Salazar Slytherin, or because they believed in his pureblood supremacy ideals, although Harry personally knew it was a load of tripe. Hermione was one of the most gifted students in their year, easily outstripping the proud pureblood Malfoy heir, and was a muggleborn. Heck, Crabbe and Goyle were purebloods but they looked like living examples of why incest was rightfully outlawed.

The conversation was interrupted when the trio were cut off by a group of Ravenclaw fourth year students. They all took one look at Harry before they huddled together, as if they were afraid that Harry would leap out and attack any stragglers.

"And then there are those who believe everything they're told," the scarred boy muttered under his breath. "Makes the job that much harder."

'_Ignore them Master,_' Saber spoke. '_They don't have the same reasons to doubt the source like you do._'

Once again heeding his Servants advice, Harry bit his tongue and continued on his path. They soon reached the entry to the Great Hall where Saber and Archer halted their march while the trio went on to get their breakfast.

* * *

><p>Shirou absently stabbed at his eggs. It wasn't that he was having difficulty with the silverware, having long since mastered the utensils when he first came to Great Britain. No, his appetite was somewhat dead after the events of the last night. Saber had been near inconsolable and remained in Shirou's arms for several hours while they were together in Shirou's bedroom. By the time morning had come, Saber was for all intents and purposes back to normal, but as one of the two that knew her best he could tell she was deeply troubled by Lancelot's return. Rin knew the literature behind Saber's connection with Lancelot and why it would trouble her so much. Both knew that the black knight had been summoned as Berserker during the Fourth Grail War and seemed intent on killing her above all others. She hadn't disclosed the full details of the Fourth Grail War beyond what they needed to know to combat Kotomine and Gilgamesh, but it may be time to learn more.<p>

Shirou wasn't sure if he wanted to know.

The redheaded Japanese boy was a weapon in himself. Swords were his core, his source, his flesh and bone. Just looking at one allowed him to incorporate it into his Reality Marble and thus his arsenal of weapons. Looking at a sword allowed him to understand it entirely. He would learn its composition, its history, its name, its powers, its very essence. Shirou could learn all this with simply a glance at a sword. He could do the same with spears, axes, and other such weapons although he would have needed a little more time to fully incorporate them. Swords would always be his core.

He almost cursed the ability when he laid his eyes on Arondight.

Shirou instantly knew the history of the blade when he saw it for that split second before Lancelot dismissed it. It was all the time Shirou needed to understand it completely. It had been forged by fairies and made so perfect, being able to take any attack without receiving damage and with a perfect water-like sheen, it could only belong to one who had become the perfect knight. The Lady of the Lake decided that perfect knight was Lancelot. It was used to slay corrupted and evil knights, cut down evil men, and even slay a dragon. Then things began to turn bad. In his desperation to save Guinevere from the execution demanded by many of the nobles of Camelot hoping to take advantage of the scandal for their own aims, Lancelot had slain several of his fellow knights, tainting the weapon and filling it with the anger and resentment which he could not otherwise express. Among those he killed were Gareth and Gaheris, while he critically injured their brother Gawain, which would later lead to the knight's death during the battle of Camlann. After Arthur, or rather Arturia, died on that field, Lancelot and Guinevere reunited for only a moment, in which they decided that they had sinned too heavily against their king to remain together and began to lead lives of penitence, Guinevere in a monastery and Lancelot in a hermitage. Guinevere eventually died first and six weeks later so did Lancelot, but not before he drove himself insane with his guilt and remorse, which was how he qualified as Berserker for the Fourth Grail War.

"Something bothering you Mr. Emiya?" asked Professor Vector. "You seem to hardly be eating anything."

"First day nerves I think," Shirou smiled weakly, snapping out of his memories. "Rin is more in her element than I am, being my teacher and all that."

"Ah, I see," the Ancient Runes teacher nodded knowingly. "Don't let it rattle you too much. We all get those kinds of jitters when we're just starting out. Just make sure you have a good lesson plan and be flexible in its execution, and you should be fine. Trust me on that."

"Sounds like good advice," Shirou nodded. "Thank you."

Meanwhile, Rin was stoically eating her own food, her mind being a whirlwind of activity. Her thoughts were split between everything that she would need to know for the classes for that week, and what she would have to do about the Holy Grail War which seemed to have many of the participants in the very school she was teaching at. Knowing that two of the Servants were Bertilak de Housdesert and Lancelot of the Lake were big tips in understanding their movements. The two knights had been loyal to their respective leaders and weren't ones who would divulge in dishonorable tactics. Of course, Bertilak had the abilities of a Marble Phantasm on his side, making him a force to be reckoned with in his own right. Lancelot on the other hand possessed a Noble Phantasm which allowed him to turn anything he touched into _his_ Noble Phantasm. It applied to just about anything, something Saber proved by stating that while as Berserker in the Fourth Grail War he actually stole and flew an F-14 fighter jet, turning it into a Noble Phantasm. That kind of potential in a Servant was intimidating.

Still, the knights had a reputation for fighting fair and loyalty. So long as their Masters allowed the knights to battle in their preferred methods, there was little chance of something too horrible happening. It was likely for that reason and that sense of fair play between knights that prevented both Servants from going all out during their battles. Caster had the potential of turning the very castle into a weapon by bringing the whole thing down, while Lancelot could cause massive amounts of damage by turning his improvised weapons into Broken Phantasms for a little extra destructive power. So far, neither Servant seemed to have a desire for things to go that far. Still, it didn't account for the Servant that appeared in Diagon Alley, likely Lancer, as well as the Archer and Assassin who had appeared on the train. Their tactics may not be so honorable

And so Rin mulled over her options while eating her breakfast.

* * *

><p>The day droned on for Harry and his friends since breakfast and Hermione's first confrontation with the Weasley twins in regards to their selling of their Skiving Snackboxes and other wares which didn't really seem to have a clear winner. History of Magic came first with the always boring and ghostly Professor Binns. Once again Harry was nearly put to sleep by the ghost as he droned on about giant wars. It truly was amazing how a subject as interesting as brutal wars between giants could be rendered so mind-numbingly boring by the man. If any of the other teachers tried their hand at it, Harry guessed that he would have at least been interested if not enraptured by the subject. As always, Hermione was the only one who seemed able to resist Binns' droning voice. It was certainly impressive when not even the academically enthusiastic Ravenclaws could do that much.<p>

There was a brief meeting with Cho Chang, the Ravenclaw Seeker and Cedric Diggory's former girlfriend. Harry had sported a crush on the pretty Asian girl, but it made it slightly awkward for him personally since he had been there when her boyfriend died. She wanted to talk to him about something, but the moment had been ruined when Ron noticed the Quidditch badge for a team called the Tornadoes and in an unbelievably thick and insensitive moment, started interrogating her about how much of a fan she was when she clearly wanted to talk to Harry alone. Hermione certainly chewed him out for it, apparently making up for lost time since their last argument.

Potions was next, which had Snape as always overlooking his class like he was looking at a pile of waste. As always, he was blatantly unfair to the Gryffindors while actively favoring the Slytherins, when it was clear that his own students were epically failing while the Gryffindors were being competent for the most part. Crabbe's position was so wrong, he couldn't even place it in a flask for marking since it kept melting through the glass yet Harry heard the teacher give him passing marks anyway. On the other hand, Dean missed an ingredient on the list and Snape vanished his potion for it and told him to start over even though there was nowhere near enough time to complete it, which would no doubt receive failing marks. For once, the hook-nosed teacher didn't go out of his way to antagonize Harry, but that was likely out of a survival instinct since Snape knew of Saber's existence, and ability to astralize himself so he could follow Harry everywhere. Harry himself didn't doubt that if Snape tried his usual class tricks to purposefully affect Harry's grade, Saber would want to have a few '_words'_ with him about it.

After that came lunch and then Divination, one of Harry's least favorite classes which consisted of Professor Trelawney teaching them about how to tell the future through dreams. Most of the class consisted of reading the introduction from the textbook which didn't leave much time for actual dream interpretation. The only saving grace Harry could really see for that class so far was that Professor Trelawney hadn't predicted his death like she did many times through the third and fourth years.

Then came the class which everyone was waiting for, Defense Against the Dark Arts.

* * *

><p>"Blimey, Fred and George weren't kidding," Ron groaned as the trio headed towards the DADA classroom. "Binns' essay on giant wars, Snape's essay on moonstones, and now a month long dream diary from Trelawney? If this is just the beginning of the year then the rest of it is going to be murder before the O.W.L.'s kill us!"<p>

"Oh Ron, it's easy with just a little preparation!" Hermione insisted. "If we just sit down and do it quickly then we have nothing to worry about."

"Easy for you to say," the redhead muttered. "I just hope this Tosuca woman doesn't give us homework."

"It's pronounced Tohsaka, Ron!" Hermione huffed, rounding on the redhead again. "Honestly, it's not difficult to say!"

Harry kept his silence as they entered the classroom. Inside it was again differently decorated since the other teachers liked to add their personal touches to the room. Lockhart certainly took that privilege to the extreme by placing paintings and photos of himself everywhere. This time the room seemed to be moderately decorated and the front desk had a few instruments on it, but if they did anything was up for debate. Two smaller desks were at the corners at the front off the room, looking more like they were made for assistants rather than actual teachers.

Professor Tohsaka was standing at the front of the room, wearing her obviously muggle-like clothes and her hair in ponytails. At the desk on the left was the redheaded man that Harry remembered seeing on the train. Finally on the right side was the regal blonde woman, sitting at the other desk. None of them were speaking, simply allowing the students to file into the classroom. Of course, many of the boys already in the classroom were happy to stare at the two women while a few of the women made giggling comments about the man, Lavender and Parvati being chief amongst them.

The class finally filled and the bell rang, announcing the beginning of the class. Professor Tohsaka moved into action and stood straight, eying her class carefully.

"Hello," she greeted. "My name is Rin Tohsaka and I am going to be your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. As such, you will refer to me as Professor Tohsaka at all times. Anything else I will consider an insult and lack of respect. Understand?" No one spoke, which the woman used to continue. "I will be having two teaching assistants with me for this year. On my left is Shirou Emiya, my apprentice. On my right is Arturia Pendragon, my assistant. You will refer to them as Mr. Emiya and Ms. Pendragon."

Introductions made, the red-clad woman pressed on, "I'm here to teach you about the various dark magic that is part of this world and how to best combat it. This is a serious subject and I expect you all to treat it as such. If you don't, then don't expect to have me pass you with decent marks, if I let you pass at all. I don't have any patience for people who coast their way through life or don't work hard at anything. You will try your best or you will fail."

Harry had to admire the steel in the woman's tone and felt a little bit flustered by it. It was enough for him to forget about Cho for a second, but it did make him wonder if he had a thing for Asian women. His moment of boyhood crushing was spoiled however when he heard Malfoy snort in his usual snobbish amusement. Glancing to the bleached blonde, Harry spotted him lean over to Pansy Parkinson and whisper, "Dumbledore must have really lost it if he expects us to be able to learn anything from a bunch of mudbloods." The comment made Pansy giggle, a rather unlikable sight considering her pug-like features.

It didn't escape Professor Tohsaka's ears though. She immediately turned a sharp glare towards Draco's desk and brought her hand up into what looked like a gun position. Harry wondered what on earth she was doing before he saw a small sphere of black energy tinted green appear on her fingertip. Many of the students blinked at what they saw before the small orb fired from the woman's finger like a bullet, screeching through the air like a bullet before hitting Malfoy's desk, making the surface shatter. Malfoy made the oddest squeaking noise before he fell from his seat with a loud thud and a groan of pain.

"**Never**, say that word in front of me," the angry woman said darkly, dropping her arm. Behind her, both Mr. Emiya and Ms. Pendragon were shooting dark glares at where Malfoy had fallen. "It is a stupid word filled with a profound amount of ignorance and senseless hate. Using it only proves how much of an idiot you are since only fools would think it has any meaning. 20 points from Slytherin for your sickening bigotry."

Many of the Gryffindors felt smiles tug at their faces while the Slytherins scowled at one of their own being 'wronged' like he was. Malfoy pulled himself up from his spot, his face flushed and a look of dark hate across his features, "My father will-!"

"I don't **care** who your father is!" Professor Tohsaka snapped. "The fact that you immediately threaten to go whining to him only proves that I was right in not considering you worthy of respect! You're a weak magus who obviously can't stand on his own two feet in this world without daddy holding your hand! Maybe if you're lucky I can make something halfway competent out of you by the end of the year. I've been known to work miracles before."

The look of absolute outrage on Malfoy's face made Harry's temper concerning his morning simply vanish. Ron looked like Christmas had come early, much like he did when the fake Moody turned the Malfoy heir into a ferret and bounced him all over the place. A teacher finally tearing into Malfoy for his slanderous remarks instead of simply chastising him like other teachers would, or outright pretend it didn't happen like Snape, was a breath of fresh air for many people.

"Now take your seat Mr. Malfoy and maybe we can get some work done," Professor Tohsaka turned her attention to the class as a whole. "Now, if everyone would turn to the introduction of _Magecraft of the Modern World_ I will outline what you will have to expect in the coming year."

Professor Tohsaka read out the introduction and explained that the year would consist of working with cursed and enchanted items, dueling techniques, studying famous magi who were known for their methods of fighting, as well as various spells to deal with all of the above. It was a very comprehensive lesson plan and one that promised to be intensive for the students but offered big payouts to those that applied themselves. Harry himself was actually looking forward to the year as far as DADA went.

The remaining time of the class was put towards identifying just what was considered Dark Magic before she assigned a short essay asking for their definition of what Dark Magic was as well as examples to help them prove their points. Many of the students groaned, already having sizable workloads already, Ron being one of the loudest among them. Still, the woman didn't crack as she reminded them that O.W.L.'s were pivotal in their educations, and they always had the option of not doing her assignment at the cost of their grades.

The bell rang, signaling the end of class which allowed everyone to collect their books and be on their way.

"This has been the best class ever!" Ron grinned. "Seeing Malfoy get chewed out like that was just priceless!"

"I hardly think her punishment was appropriate," Hermione frowned, as always the voice of propriety and reason when it came to the rules. "She could have really hurt Malfoy if that spell of hers had been off the mark."

"I can't say I'm too sympathetic," Harry shrugged. "With all the trouble Malfoy's given us over the years, seeing a teacher that'll actually step up and punish him for his words instead of giving him a talking to is something I'd be happy to see more of."

Hermione looked like she wanted to argue, if only for the sake of it, but she had to concede the point. Malfoy did tend to get away with a lot in the school, more than likely due to Snape's influence as the head of Slytherin, "True. That spell Professor Tohsaka cast was impressive too. She didn't need a wand or an incantation to make it work. She must be an expert in spellcraft if she was able to do that."

"Just goes to show we got the right teacher for the job!" Ron nodded, although if he sided with Professor Tohsaka out of his dislike of Slytherins, her obvious competent abilities, or simply because of how attractive she was it was hard to say.

* * *

><p>As the school day wore on, Caster was wandering around the castle in his astralized form to get the lay of the land, so to speak. His master insisted that he not follow her to her lessons, as she did not want to provoke her majesty by bringing him to class. It would foster mistrust and then she would never get her interview with King Arturia. The green knight was not exactly thrilled with the declaration, but since his Master did hold the Command Seals, she would be able to summon him should there be any sort of threat.<p>

It didn't make him feel any better though.

Still, he decided to use the time to get a better layout of the castle, learning where everything was in case he got into conflict with Arturia and Lancelot once again, which was incredibly likely. He already knew the first floor and was working on the second. He could sense out other Servants already, Arturia and Lancelot most likely. One was wandering the hallways, likely getting the layout of the school like he was, while the other was inside one of the classrooms, which was obviously Arturia since she was actually employed by the faculty.

Walking along one of the hallways, Caster eyed a spot which looked cleaner than the others, making a wide area that appeared to have been cleaned in recent years while the rest looked as dingy and old as the rest of the castle. It was a moment of idle curiosity, but nothing more as the green knight continued on his way. Walking onwards though, he felt a creeping sensation running down his astralized spine. Being so in touch with his environment, he knew when something unnatural was afoot. Normally that usually stuck with the cities that people had built by carving out their habitats in nature, but the sensation Caster felt spoke more than just reshaping nature in a new form through the logic of man.

It was perverting it.

Frowning behind his helmet, Caster followed the sensation while allowing himself to turn to his solid form once again. Coming up to a wooden door, he grasped the handle before opening it. He stepped through and ended up in an bathroom which had the unnatural sensation hanging in the air like a death shroud. Whatever unnaturalness had been connected to the room, it had affecting it immensely to leave such an imprint.

"Who are you?"

Caster whirled around, gripping his axe, the emeralds flaring. Any attack which would have come next fizzled out when he saw that the one who had spoken to him was a ghost. She looked like a squat girl with thick glasses and two ponytails coming from the sides of her head. She wore the school uniform, indicating that she had been a student in life. She was silvery and transparent, obvious indicators that she was no longer amongst the living.

Caster didn't attack, but he was still tense. The ghost girl was saturated with the unnatural aura just like the room. Ghost were natural, since souls were quite natural in their own right even though they were a magic that Caster's couldn't touch. However the girl had died though, it was most definitely not in a natural way.

"I asked you a question," the ghost girl huffed. "Are you one of the suits of armour that live in the castle? This is a girl's bathroom you know."

Caster finally let go of his axe, turning to regard the girl with his full attention, "My name is Caster. I am in the service of a student here to protect her. I sensed an unnatural aura in this place and decided to investigate."

"Are you saying its me?" the ghost girl glowered, the change in her tone making the pipes of the toilets begin to rumble.

"No, but it has affected you," Caster replied, not wanting to upset the girl and lose any chance he had at answers. "I assume it is what killed you. What happened?"

The rumbling of the pipes stopped as the girl took on a surprised face. She then began to smile, obviously flattered, "Oh…you're the second person to have asked me that. I was crying in my stall after Olive Hornby made fun of my glasses. It was then that I heard someone come inside. They made all sorts of strange hissing noises near the sinks, but I was able to tell that it was a boy. I opened the door to yell at him, but instead all I saw were a pair of big yellow eyes. Then I died."

"Just by looking into someone's eyes?" Caster frowned. That did not sound natural. It seemed that the poor girl was made victim of the Mystic Eyes ability, but the only one he could think of who had an ability such as that was the Irish Formorian Balor, who, the green knight had heard, could kill a person with just a glare from his eye, but he doubted an Irish God from the lost Age of the Gods would just show up in a school in Britain. Besides, Balor only had one eye, or so Caster had been told, not to mention the fact that Balor had been slain ages ago. Even the descendant of that ability, the Mystical Eyes of Death Perception, required some effort to use beyond just looking at a person, "Was the owner of the eyes moving their hands when you saw them?"

"Hmmm," the girl pondered. "You know, I don't think it had any hands."

"No hands…" Caster frowned. It was quickly becoming more and more obvious that something very wrong was connected to this bathroom. "You said that hissing noises came from the sinks?"

"Yes," the ghost nodded. "Harry Potter asked me those questions too. He went to the sink and made some hissing noises before it turned into a big doorway he leaped through with his redhead friend and a teacher."

"Hmm," Caster frowned. Turning his attention towards the sinks in question, he walked towards them.

"Try the one with the snake on the handle," the ghost offered helpfully. "That one has never worked and when Harry hissed at it, it opened."

Caster heeded the girl's advice, checking the handles of the sinks before finding the one in question. It was a small design of a snake carved on the handle quite easy to miss for the unaware. Caster on the other hand could feel the magic on the sink in question. It couldn't have been more obvious to him unless it were glowing bright pink in the middle of such a drag room. He pressed his hand against the small snake carving, trying to discern what kind of magic was behind such an unusual position for a spell.

Part of bearing a Marble Phantasm was being sensitive to the world around the caster. The green knight was no exception as he managed to feel out the spell which was connected to the sink, offering insight into what it was supposed to do.

"It's a password spell," Caster muttered. "The password itself isn't very hard, but it requires it to be spoken in another language." It was obvious that the language was the language of serpents. The problem with it though was that while Caster was an accomplished magic user and had many skills, Animal Dialogue was not one of them. He would have to think of something else if he wished to enter the chamber which held the source of the unnatural feeling.

It would be tricky since the entire structure wasn't quite natural, but there was one way that Caster knew he could enter. The door was magically sealed, but if the mechanisms which held the door shut for the magic to seal suddenly failed… Nodding, Caster drew his axe and allowed the emeralds to shine with his prana. The air around him swirled and seeped into the cracks and crevices around the sink, searching out everything made of metal. Pipes, metal grating, and everything else made of metal were immediately saturated with the magically enriched air pressed against it at all angles. Like a high speed video, rust spread across the iron surfaces like a virus. It didn't last long before several pipes on the sink rusted completely and collapsed, but no water sprayed out. Then suddenly from the inside of the ring of sinks was a loud snapping noise.

Clinking noises began sounding off as the locking-magic behind the secret passage failed without a lock for it to reinforce. Caster ended his magic as the sides of the pillar with sinks mounted on it split apart, before rising up to leave a large hole in the floor.

"That's it," the ghost offered. "I hope you don't die down there."

"Hnn," Caster frowned, feeling the unnaturalness reek from the hole. Stepping forward, he leaped down into the abyss. He slid down what appeared to be a pipe, the armour leaving a trail of sparks as he went. He quickly came to the bottom of the tunnel, ending up in a barren room made of bedrock with what looked like a cave-in, and a narrow tunnel where someone must have dug themselves out. Caster didn't pay it any mind as he stepped over the rubble and continued on his trek, feeling the unnaturalness grow stronger as he continued in the direction of the cave in. The room was dingy and moist, making the knight believe that he had gotten below either the lake near the school or the ground water level, possibly both.

Caster approached the end of a stone passageway that ended in a round door with iron snakes acting as door-latches. They were enchanted in the same manner as the sink above. This time Caster didn't have the same kind of difficulty as the rock the door was embedded in was quite natural, even if the creator of the tunnel had changed it to fit his purposes. Gripping his axe once again, Caster created a small tremor which cracked the stone all around the doorway, making it fragile and unstable.

Caster reached the iron door before he reared back his weapon and smashed it against the obstacle. The rock shattered like fine china and the door flew deep into the room, bent almost in half from the force with which the Servant had struck it. Caster almost gagged as he felt more of the unnaturalness in the air, which was now almost strangling. Stepping through the door, he found himself in a dark and massive chamber, moisture saturating the air with pools of water along the sides. Snakes were the motif, mounted in rows of threatening statures as if they were ready to strike. The centre of the chamber held the slightly damaged statue of a bearded man's head with its mouth wide open.

Next to it was the rotting carcass of a gargantuan serpent.

"A basilisk," Caster spat venomously.

A basilisk was a creature which should most definitely not exist. They were impossible to breed in nature, and it was only because of the curiosity and the greed of man that they began to exist at all. Crossbreeding-experiments led to placing a toad on a chicken's egg, just to see what the result would be. What they got was a snake which terrified spiders with just its presence, died when in the presence of a rooster call, and could kill just by looking into the eyes of another living creature. Not even a Marble Phantasm could bring about a basilisk, because there was no way a toad would sit on a chicken's egg naturally, not long enough to actually birth the creature anyways. Of course, it didn't stop more than a few magi from wanting such a powerful beast under their thrall. To a being such as Caster though, it was a massive beacon of unnatural power that made him want to wretch and destroy the blasted thing.

Caster moved to the head of the monster, seeing the flesh was putrid and that the eyes had been gouged out by something. The green knight also noted that it looked like something had stabbed through the monster's head. Although he was denied the kill, Caster couldn't help but silently applaud the one who did the job, wherever they might be.

* * *

><p>In the hallways above, Harry sneezed.<p>

* * *

><p>Still, Caster wanted to have his own fun.<p>

"HRRRAAAAAGH!" Caster brought out his axe and in a flash of green smashed it into the head of the beast. The emeralds flashed violently before the head of the rotting monster exploded like a bomb gone off. Bits of rotting skin, bone, and brain matter rained down in all directions, dissolving as they went. The remains of the main body likewise began to rapidly dissolve as if the very molecules were losing adhesion, being rejected from the world if one wanted to put a poetic spin on the sight.

"That should clear things up a bit," Caster nodded to himself. Even dead, the basilisk reeked of unnaturalness, which would have made everything sensitive to it go nuts for some time to come. With the body gone though, it would be a significantly shorter amount of time before the unnatural sensations would vanish.

Unaturalness gone, Caster turned his attention to the rest of the bleak chamber. All around was nothing but statues of snakes and water. Still, a lot of magic was put into creating the place. It made the Green Knight wonder if he had stumbled onto another magi's workshop, though the lack of any kind of true experiments made him doubt that conclusion. Still, it could make a secure base once things were properly looked at and the security he destroyed was repaired.

Fortune seemed to be on his side today.

* * *

><p>The day wore on for the students as they went through their daily activities. While a select few of the students were just satisfied that they didn't have their Servants following them around all day, rumors, both good ones and bad ones, were spreading quickly. The teachers quietly whispered to each other about the ruckus which had occurred the previous night, and what may have caused it, keeping an eye out for a certain pink-clad toad-like woman who would have loved an excuse to bring more Ministry-control to the school to further her agenda.<p>

Much of the gossip resolved around the new DADA teacher and her two assistants. Naturally many of the speakers were either boys who were stuck on how beautiful the two ladies were, or girls going on about how ruggedly handsome the man was. Others talked about their obviously muggle choice of dress, scoffing at their taste or merely commenting on it like one would on the weather. The Ravenclaws clearly liked Professor Tohsaka, since she seemed very knowledgeable about her craft, and a dedicated scholar herself. The Hufflepuffs were certainly willing to give her chance, and already found things they liked about her and her two assistants, ranging from their pleasant if not serious demeanor to their fairness towards all students, rather than favoring one house over another. Then again, Hufflepuffs were rather amicable to everyone. The Gryffindors were naturally her biggest fans after it got out that she wouldn't stand for slanderous remarks like 'mudblood' or 'half-breed'. They especially loved her when they learned her brand of punishment towards those who tried following those beliefs in front of her. As for the Slytherins, they immediately pegged her as Enemy #2, second only to Harry Potter. One Slytherin in particular had a great reason to dislike her…

* * *

><p><strong>Slytherin Common Room<strong>

The emerald rooms the Slytherins called home was in a relaxed state after a day of lessons, if not holding a sense of smugness. It was no secret that a majority of the latest crop were the children of convicted or accused Death Eaters, and the only reason they weren't social pariahs in the years since Voldemort's downfall was because their parent(s) played the always useful 'I was under Imperious' defense mixed in with a few 'donations' to the right people. Fudge was so gullible and blinded by his own pride and/or paranoia he'd believe anything so to keep up the appearance of his perfectly safe and controlled world of Magical Britain despite many cries to the contrary. So the children of Death Eaters currently in Hogwarts got to enjoy a stigma-free education, believing they could get away with anything. That arrogance only increased when their parents received the glorious news of Voldemort's return. They felt it was only a matter of time before they truly began to run things at the school like they felt they always should have.

One student was not basking in that arrogance tonight.

"That mudblood bitch!" the student bellowed, stomping throughout his room, which only held him and the Servant he had mastery over. "How dare she do that? Humiliating the pureblood ways and talking about them as if they don't matter!"

Assassin merely stood in the shadows, watching as the boy who had through some ritual become her new Master threw a temper tantrum over a perceived insult to his pride, when it was quite obvious that the one who was insulted was the teacher in question when a racial slur was uttered in her presence. Of course, the skull-faced woman's Master arrogantly believed that the purebloods were so much more important than the common folk, and that thus their words should be accepted as truth of the world and such. Obviously the brat hadn't experienced the world outside of the bubble of money and false pride which the upper class of this magical society constructed for itself.

Already the boy had torn up several sheets of parchment, trashed a number of school supplies, and destroyed a few books in a rather sizable and immature tantrum. Naturally, not one of those items belonged to him, but the others which bunked in the same room. None of them would complain though, since that would bring about his wrath, or more likely bring about her former Master to deal with the issue. The other students would just repair what they could and order replacements of what they couldn't. It wasn't like they were hurting for money anyway.

To Assassin, the tantrum only went on to prove what an immature brat her new Master was. The only reason that this child was selected to act as her Master was because they were all stupid in blindly following Berserker's Master as if he were the coming of a deity. They ignored all of the flaws in his strategies or how he found all of his servants expendable in favor of hoping to bask in the result of their goals of a superior society of pure magi, even if they had to inbreed with one another to keep the lines pure. Of course, even Assassin could tell that doing that could damage a person in the long run.

"You!" the boy growled, pointing at Assassin. Apparently the brat decided that he had enough raging and destroying things and turned on her. "You're my Servant aren't you? Why aren't you going out and taking care of that bitch?-!"

"I am your Servant in the Holy Grail War, thanks to that ritual of yours." Assassin answered, staying in the shadow. "The only ones that I have to fight and kill are the enemy Servants and their Masters. I am not here to satisfy your wounded pride whenever someone says something that you do not like. Do not mistake my title as Servant as having the meaning of me being your personal chore girl."

"You are my property and I tell you what to do!" her Master snapped back, obviously unwilling to listen. Obviously her Master's pride was more important than common sense, something which was becoming a disturbing trend in this society of magi. "So have to obey me and I am ordering you to go hunt down that mudblood bitch and make her pay for insulting her betters!"

A flash of red from her Master's hand illuminated the room before the bottom jaw of the Command Seals dissolved into nothing. Assassin felt the compulsion fall onto her shoulders like a lead weight. Her jaw clenched while her eyes narrowed on the enraged/smug look on her Master's face, "Very well Master. Be warned of the penalty if you continued to step on my pride like this."

Her Master scoffed verbally at the warning, but the signals in the body showed nervousness. That in itself showed that the student hadn't forgotten about the lessons concerning crossing her. Warning given, Assassin stepped out of the shadows and headed towards the exit to the room, allowing her body to astralize as she went.

She had a teacher to chastise.

* * *

><p>Rin was reading over several pieces of paper, notes she had taken from some of the books that were available from the library. Yes, they were meant for students, but Rin firmly believed that if one wanted to learn about anything new concerning magic, you started with the basics. As a teacher, she had access to the restricted section of the library, so she wasn't entirely bored with some of the things she had discovered.<p>

As she walked, her mind drifted towards the classes and the students she had met thus far. She hadn't met all of the years yet, but she had seen how the invisible walls between the houses seemed to have certainly solidified. Ravenclaws were more interested in their studies while Hufflepuffs were trying to just get along with everyone. The Gryffindors and Slytherins felt like they could go at war with one another in a heartbeat at some points, and gave each other dark looks now and then at others. With the younger students it seemed more like a small rivalry, but with the older students it was obviously ready to turn violent. Though with most of the supporters of Voldemort having kids at that age, the tension made sense. The two houses had a notorious history with one another ever since Salazar Slytherin and Godric Gryffindor got in an argument over whether or not they should be accepting students who did not have pure magi blood in their veins. A somewhat racist point of view, but in the days back then non-magical people reacted to magic with hysteria, and the mundane parents of a magical child were a risk to the school, seeing that the Vatican back then was likely to butcher the child as well as all relatives to prevent the 'devil's craft' from 'harming' the innocent and faithful. Those parents could have tried to sell out the school to avoid receiving punishment, unless of course they were not magical themselves.

Of course, the idiots of the modern era seem to have taken it as the idea that pure magical blood was superior to all others and thus should be treated like royalty. Voldemort certainly believed it and so did all of the inbreeds who called themselves Death Eaters, along with his many other supporters. They believed it enough to start their terrorist campaign which only Harry Potter had brought an end to somehow. It only went to show how history could be warped from the truth into something the listeners would have preferred to see. Arturia had done that herself to craft the image of being a man for her people and completely cast aside her femininity for the stability of the country.

'_Select the truth, solidify the facts,_' Rin thought to herself. Perhaps her experiences with Archer in the Fifth Grail War made her a little more cynical than normal in situations like this.

Walking around a corner while reading up on some particularly interesting aspects on potions and various defensive spells she might be able to apply to her own form of magecraft, she felt it. In her brief time as a Master in the Fifth Holy Grail War, she had been thrust into dire situations where she had gone up against the likes of Hercules, Cu Chulainn, Medea, her own Archer, Medusa, and even Gilgamesh. When facing opponents like them, one developed a sense of danger very quickly, or they ended up _very_ dead.

That sense was screaming at Rin to move.

Rin dropped her papers and ducked to the sides, rolling along the ground. She practically felt the wind pass over her neck before she heard something hit the stone floor near her. Glancing, she spotted what looked like a black dagger sticking out of the floor, actually having dug through the rug and into the stone. Gritting her teeth, she turned to see where the dagger had come from. At the far end of the hall she had turned into, hidden in the darkness between two windows which were showing moonlight was a woman with black skin, long hair, and an ashen white skull mask over her face.

"Assassin!" Rin hissed as the woman stepped out into the moonlight

"Oh?" the woman commented, an eyebrow arched on her forehead. "You know of me?"

"I am from the Magus Association you know," Rin stood up with a smirk. "I even took part in the last Grail War. I know a Servant Assassin when I see one, the legendary Hassan-I Sabah."

Assassin's eyes narrowed further. It seemed her Master's childish tantrum revealed some previously unknown information. Still, now she was exposed even more than before thanks to that spoiled brat. Someone who actually knew her name would know her history, well it would be so if she were not one of nineteen carrying the name of Hassan-I Sabah, all of which kept the workings and full potential of their abilities secret. But while the woman knew practically nothing of her personally, she did know the function of the Holy Grail War, and could bring about much more interference. Well, since Assassin was supposed to 'chastise' the teacher for insulting her Master, she could just kill the woman and plug the potential leak.

"I see," Assassin sighed before she drew two new daggers. "It's nothing personal, but I must complete my Master's orders."

"Naturally," Rin sighed, slowly slipping her hand into her pocket, feeling the smooth surface of her rubies in her pocket.

Assassin kicked off the ground and began her charge towards Rin, while the teacher yanked out several of her gemstones and unleashed their power in one of her offensive spells.

* * *

><p>Archer stood up on top of one of the many rooftops of Hogwarts. He was taking a moment to enjoy the dark sky, since his Master was in her dormitory tower and Saber was still present there. Despite their positions as opposing Servants, Saber was agreeable to keeping both Masters safe from harm even if they were supposed to be enemies. Maybe it was being a knight, but either way Archer was thankful for it.<p>

Archer gazed downward at the castle, pondering where to patrol next and where he hadn't been yet to get his lay of the land. Passing over the windows, he immediately noticed one of the lights of explosions lighting up, even smashing out some of the windows from the force.

"Well shit," Archer frowned. He immediately began leaping across the rooftops towards the source of the explosion, preparing himself for a fight.

* * *

><p>Assassin was beginning to curse her Master for sending her on this mission. His anger and grudge were definitely a weakness, since they prevented him from thinking clearly or coming up strategies. He also didn't seem to understand the abilities of her Class and simply ignored them in favor of her doing what he commanded.<p>

Oh, she was compelled to follow his commands due to those seals on his hand, but once they were exhausted, she would have her revenge.

Provided she survived right now.

Assassins were not designed to fight on the frontlines in battle. Assassins were killers first and fighters second. Of course, they still needed to train their bodies in the event of an unavoidable confrontation. Now she was facing against a Magus who seemed to have bombs literally coming out of her hands.

The attacks from the magus exploded off the stone hallways as Assassin dipped and weaved out of the way of the attacks. The stone shattered and Assassin knew that just one hit would deal devastating damage if it struck the right spot.

Drawing more daggers, the female Assassin launched them to try and get around the bomb-like attacks and dig into the woman's flesh. The woman in red reacted quickly, grabbing another one of her exploding spells and tossed it. The first of her knives collided against the spell, making another explosion, this one knocking the other knives out of the air with the force of the blast.

Assassin anticipated this though.

She leaped up and grabbed hold of one of the arches along the ceiling before hoisting herself up. Wedging herself in place with her legs between two such arches, she produced several more daggers and began to aim through the smoke, looking for one sign as to the position of the teacher so she could make her attack.

A silhouette began to appear in the smoke, backing away from the source. Assassin immediately reared back her hand to launch the weapon which would surely be a kill shot.

TWANG!

Assassin withheld the urge to cry out when the sensation of an arrow cutting through her hand lanced through her body while her hand dropped her knife. The hand that held the knife was pinned to the stone wall behind her, dribbling blood down the shaft of the arrow.

"Fancy meeting you here," a voice called out, gaining Assassin's attention. The black-skinned woman turned her gaze to one of the windows which the magus had blown open and spotted the green Archer kneeling in it with his bow raised.

"Archer," Assassin's eyes narrowed.

"Huh?" the woman in red coughed as the smoke cleared, but then she spotted the Archer in the window. "Oh shit."

"Relax pretty lady," Archer grinned roguishly. "I'm not here to get you. I'm after the Assassin who's pinned up above like a butterfly."

Rin blinked and looked up, spotting Assassin indeed up above with her hand pinned to the stone wall by a green arrow. Seeing the prime opportunity, Rin dug out more of her rubies and activated the magic inside of them to launch another assault at her now still target.

Assassin spotted the magus' movement and immediately decided how she would avoid becoming a victim of the attack. Clenching her fist, she snapped the shaft of the arrow and pulled her hand free with a small splash of blood before leaping aside, narrowly missing the explosive spells that almost struck her and instead blew a chunk out of the ceiling.

Landing on the ground, Assassin weighed her options. In front of her was the magus she was supposed to punish, and considering the circumstances probably kill, for her spoiled brat of a Master. Behind her was Archer who had another arrow notched back, this one red and likely explosive.

A most bothersome situation for her.

'_Perhaps it is time for Zabaniya,_' the woman pondered to herself.

And then the shouting started.

"PEEVES! THAT HAD BETTER NOT BE YOU!" the voice of the sour castle caretaker, Argus Filch, bellowed as the sounds of his shuffling footsteps could be heard approaching the hallway.

It was a slight distraction, but one Assassin used to dive out of the window while her aggressors were focused on trying not to be found out by someone who was not connected to the Grail War.

"Hey!" Archer cried, quickly giving chase. He reached the window and began shooting several metal arrows down along where Assassin fell, but the woman seemed to have vanished into the darkness outside of the castle walls. Either she astralized, or her skin tone allowed her to blend into the night. "Dammit."

"OK, Archer," said Rin, frowning as she looked at the green-clad Servant standing not too far from her, her index finger pointed at him like a gun. "I want answers and I want them now. For your sake they should be good ones."

Archer blinked, looking to the woman pointing her finger at him, "Ehehehehe. You wouldn't shoot a guy who saved your life would you?" Normally seeing someone point their finger at someone else wouldn't be all that intimidating. When one of them was a magus though, things got a whole lot more intimidating.

"When he's not being honest with me I would," Rin answered, not moving from her position. "Now, just what the hell are all of these Servants doing here in Hogwarts? Fuyuki City not good enough anymore?"

"Where?" Archer blinked, obviously having no clue as to what the woman was talking about.

Rin frowned, deciding to just up and ask her questions before Archer decided to stop playing along and try to escape. "I repeat, why are so many Servants-!"

"PEEVES!" Filch's voice bellowed, much closer than before and cutting off Rin's interrogation.

Archer took immediate advantage of the break in the woman's focus and, like Assassin before him, leaped through the window. He allowed himself to drop like a rock, allowing a few floors to fly past before grabbing onto a window ledge, stopping his fall. Looking up, he spied the female magus sticking her head out of the window and thanks to his enhanced senses, could hear her cursing. Archer merely snickered before he astralized, allowing him to pass through the castle walls and step safely onto the hallway floor.

A smirk may have been on his lips, but his mind was already moving into tangents. The woman knew about Servants, likely about the Holy Grail War in that regard. Who was she? Was she the missing moderator of the Holy Grail War? If she was, she didn't much act like a nun.

He was going to have to confer with Saber and their Masters over this.

* * *

><p><strong>Slytherin Common Room<strong>

Assassin reappeared in front of the brat. As he waited for her to deliver the expected good news, one of her daggers was thrown at him, cutting his cheek. Alarmed the teenager stumbled back and dropped on his rear as Assassin stood threateningly over him. He reached for his wand and was about to wave it and chant a spell when another dagger pinned the sleeve of his robe to the floor, preventing him from aiming his wand at her.

"Ignorant fool," she sneered at him. "Do you realize that because of your grudge against that teacher my presence here has been compromised?"

"Wh-what?" the Slytherin stuttered.

"You not only sent me to kill a magus, one that I may add is an accomplished combatant in no doubt several battles, you sent me to kill one who was knowledgeable about the Holy Grail War and discern my identity!" Assassin hissed. "She fought back, forcing me to reveal myself to her, which captured the attention of another Servant, and revealed my presence in the castle! Saber, Caster, and that woman in blue will now know that I am here!" She reached down and grabbed the collar of the boy's shirt and lifted him up, tearing his sleeve which had been pinned by her dagger. "My movements will now be limited, they will all be on guard, they will be watching their Masters like hawks! Thanks to you, we have lost our advantage in the Holy Grail War!"

Snorting in distaste, Assassin dropped the teen back to the floor like a sack of rags, "It is only the fact you hold my Command Seals that I don't kill you for your utter failure and childish temper." She almost considered cutting off his hand just to make an example out of him. She quickly discarded the idea since that might risk her own presence in the Holy Grail War, breaking the contract even if partially may be enough to end her participation. And even if it didn't, at the moment she'd be more than pressed to find a new Master willing to take in a Servant that had killed the precessor.

"For your sake, do not call upon me until my blood has cooled," Assassin warned, turning away from her brat of a Master. "You will not like the consequences."

She then turned her back to the boy, leaving the room once again. The teenager on the floor panted from fear, once again humbled by the black-skinned woman. This time, his trousers felt moist and he knew that this was the first time he was absolutely sure that he was about to die. Of course, it was enough to puncture through his pride and arrogance and help drive home the fact that he had hindered his own efforts immensely.

* * *

><p><strong>Gryffindor Common Room<strong>

Archer had returned quickly to the common room, quickly calling both his Master as well as Saber down for a meeting. Fortunately the room was empty from other students, who had gone to sleep while ignoring their homework, or went off to a private spot to snog with their significant others that they hadn't seen since the beginning of the summer. So the only ones in the room were Harry, Ron, Hermione, Saber, and Archer to discuss what was going on.

"What's the emergency?" asked Ron with a yawn.

"Had an encounter with Assassin," Archer replied, picking his teeth with an arrowhead. Normally it may have been seen as being nonchalant, but obviously Archer was bothered and he was indulging in a habit. "She was trying to kill one of your teachers, the Asian one in the red shirt."

"What?-!" the trio gasped.

"Relax, she was holding her own rather well before I stepped in and saved the day," Archer replied. "Unfortunately, that creepy guy with the cat distracted us with his shouting and she got away. That's not the whole story though."

"What?" asked Hermione.

"She seems to know about the Holy Grail War," the green-clad man replied, earning wide eyes from the teens and an almost statuesque stare from Saber. "She tried to hold me for interrogation, asking why so many Servants were here. That cat guy distracted us again since he was getting close and I made a run for it. I swear that woman can curse up a blue streak."

Hermione, Ron, and Harry all looked at each other in more than a little confusion. How could their new DADA teacher know about the Holy Grail War? They were under the impression that the entire event was to be held in the strictest of confidences. The trio only knew because they had summoned Servants of their own or had been informed by those Masters as to what was going on. How would Professor Tohsaka know about it?

It seemed things were becoming more complicated.

While her brother, friend, and love interest were talking downstairs, Ginny was up in her own room. Earlier in the day, she mad managed to finally get the book which Hermione mentioned she had used to get what she needed to summon Archer.

The subject material was pretty new to her, some of the things which the book talked about like prana, mana, and od were completely unknown. She also read over the parts about summoning, which was what she was after in the first place. Something about it just grabbed her attention and she just couldn't help but to want to try it herself.

This was why she was sitting up in bed, taking notes on parchment on the various arrays, which ones she thought might work best, the incantations, and sketches of the notes as best as she could copy them. The book insisted that detail was important and Ginny wasn't one to argue when it came to magic. Details could be the most important things about magic, that she knew.

It didn't stop her from being excited about her attempt at using this new magic.

**To Be Continued...**

* * *

><p>AN: Okay, it's taken me a while but there is finally an update to this story. Hope you guys enjoy it. Assassin is forced to make her move and it costs her an important advantage. On the other hand, Rin is now official in the sights of all parties and both her own Servant and apprentice are going be dragged along with her. Still, the Servants are on the move and what exactly is Caster's plan for the Chamber of Secrets.


	11. Breaking All The Rules

I do not own Harry Potter or Fate/Stay Night. Those belong to their respective creators and not me. I am only writing this for fun and if you don't like it then that's too bad but if you do enjoy it, I hope you'll continue reading it as more chapters come out.

Fate/Ingens Cor

By Ten-Faced Paladin

Chapter 11: Breaking All The Rules

Rin Tohsaka was not a happy woman at the moment as she laid back in Shirou's arms, alongside Arturia, to bring some measure of relaxation for the night. Her lover had a way of stroking her hair that she loved and made her relax, although she wouldn't admit to it verbally to anyone. She needed it after her ordeal, being targeted by Assassin before being rescued by Archer and then subsequently losing him after that idiot Filch decided to come wandering about ready to blame everything on the resident poltergeist. It was a decent enough cover, so rather than stick around and stage and/or repair the scene like she would have in the Fifth Grail War, she merely let it be and ran.

'_Damn blood-sucker,_' Rin silently cursed her teacher, easily seeing his hand in her current situation.

When Rin first received her offer of teaching at Hogwarts, she had secretly been rather reluctant since it also seemed like a Grail War had started up without anyone's knowledge in London. As a Tohsaka, one of the three families who started the Grail Wars, she felt a responsibility to try and figure out what was going on. However, Zelretch had been the one to suggest her for the role and as much as Rin absolutely hated the old bloodsucker, she more or less understood that he wanted her to be at Hogwarts. She could have said no, but the Master of the 2nd True Magic had ways of people complying with his orders, the least of which would be stranding her in a world where everyone was nude, fat, and hairy for a few weeks to make her more compliant. In light of knowing Lancelot, Bertilak, Archer, and Assassin were at Hogwarts, Rin found that Zelretch had wanted her in the thick of things rather than out of the way like she had initially thought.

She conveyed her story to Shirou and Arturia, both growing immensely concerned. Hassan-I Sabbah was a legendary killer, no matter which generation, and being their target when not a Servant was practically a death sentence. Why her Master would order Rin's death they had no idea, yet. Thankfully Rin was one of those rare people who could hold up to a Servant, for at least a little while. She had gone toe to toe against Medea during the Fifth Grail War and managed to keep it a stalemate, before Caster's Master promptly kicked her ass. She still didn't like talking about it.

Something that was sticking out in Rin's mind though was how…minimal the collateral damage was so far. Granted, fighting who they assumed was Lancer in Diagon Alley didn't allot to a whole lot of damage, for his Master seemed more concerned with scare tactics and killing than actual battle for the Holy Grail. The Servants on the train likewise didn't do nearly enough damage as she would have expected, and even the battles in the castle so far kept destruction limited to one room instead of a whole wing, or, in the worst case, the whole castle. In Fuyuki City Servant battles brought fourth an immense amount of destruction. Berserker Heracles and Archer EMIYA had obliterated a graveyard in a single clash, never mind the damage Arturia and Heracles did to the streets before they actually got to the graveyard. Ilya's mansion was more or less a ruin, if not rubble, after Gilgamesh and Heracles had their brawl. EMIYA and Lancer Cu Chulainn ripped up the grounds outside Kotomine's church during their clash, never mind what the fighting in the basement between weird Masters and three Servants did. Ryuudou Temple was more or less crushed during their final clash with Gilgamesh and the destruction of the corrupted Grail. Compared to that, everything that was happening in London was positively tame.

'_Either the Servants are holding back, or someone has tampered with the Grail while starting this War and severely weakened them,_' Rin thought to herself as she listened to Shirou's heartbeat.

The tampering idea had some merit. Like many others in the Magus Association, she knew about the sham of a Grail War that went on in America. The yanks obviously had only the barest clues of what they were doing and certainly had no finesse in their magecraft. Honestly, some of their Servants weren't even human or didn't have a solid form. A Lancer that didn't have a lance, a Hassan-I-Sabbah no one heard of, and they even lost the Saber Class entirely. It was a failure of a ritual no matter how much the American branch of the Association insisted that it was a successful Grail War. The lack of raw power being exhibited by the Servants at Hogwarts could certainly be explained by an improperly crafted Grail War.

The holding back theory also seemed plausible. Bertilak and Arturia were knights, and were definitely not interested in harming children like they could have if they fought on top of the Hogwarts Express without restraint. The same could be said for the Green Knight and Lancelot when they fought it out in the Great Hall. Of course, it was likely that their Masters were in the school as well, so fighting hard enough to bring down the castle likely wouldn't have been the best of ideas.

She involuntarily shuddered at the thought what would happen when a Servant who didn't hold back appeared, or the Masters decided to stop playing nice, if that was indeed the case.

* * *

><p><strong>Umbridge's Quarters<strong>

Dolores Umbridge sat at her writing desk, working on her letter which would detail what she had discovered about what was going on in Hogwarts. So far it was mostly just pomp and flowery wording meant to subtly praise Fudge for all of his 'hard work' and 'moral fortitude'. She outlined things she found suspicious and things she personally felt could be culled for the good of Magical Britain. Most of those things involved students reading what she considered the wrong kinds of books, the numerous clubs that didn't seem to hold any practical purpose in her opinion, like gobstones or exploding snap (never mind the fact that she always lost those games growing up, never scoring a win even once). She even wrote up recommendations on proper conduct and dress code as she noted no student in the hall paid her proper respect (I.E. said hello and giving her a smile every time they saw her), and that they wore ridiculous (in her opinion) jewelery in their hair or around their necks. Basically, she was basing her recommendations on her own pureblood and pro-human/anti-everything else standards, which would have gotten her fired, at least, anywhere else but the Ministry of Magic.

Despite her obviously biased and archaic views, which she was currently attempting to convince the minister to back, they were only the most obvious things that she could actually get at, basically everything the students were allowed to see, and nothing else. She may have been the representative for the Ministry, but in Hogwarts that truly didn't mean too much. She didn't have a true capacity in the school and that in turn meant she wasn't allowed to access anything without the headmaster or teachers' permission, such as their offices, private rooms, personal histories, or anything that would give her the proof she needed to get Dumbledore out of a position of influence and keep him from corrupting the minds of innocent students.

The original plan was to have Umbridge become the DADA teacher so she could personally see to it that the students were put on the proper track. There was no war, the Dark Lord was not back, there was absolutely no need for them to learn the offensive spells that she and the ministry knew from those dark days! Fudge even managed to make an educational decree stating that if the headmaster of Hogwarts couldn't find a suitable teacher, the ministry would supply one. It was a perfect opening for her to begin her search for incriminating evidence. Still, with how perfect the setup was Dumbledore managed to ruin it all by simply finding someone in time!

Rin Tohsaka and her assistants were a huge source of aggravation for the ministry toad. First of all was the fact that two of the three Dumbledore had hired were foreigners, something which, while not illegal (something Umbridge was determined to get the minister to fix), was something of a blow to national pride, a blow Umbridge could not afford. Britain was one of the most powerful magical countries in the world as far as she was concerned, and she wasn't about to let some uppity foreign bitch ruin that! While Miss Pendragon was a tad more acceptable, the fact that she kowtowed to the Asian woman was just an insult! Worst of all, all three of them dressed up like muggles! Didn't they have any pride in their magic? If one didn't know any better, they could have mistaken the three for muggles! Had it not been for the fact that the DADA teacher used a spell to punish a student, unjustly so in her opinion as she heard it was Lucius Malfoy's son, even she would have mistaken the new professor as a muggle.

So now part of Umbridge's tasks in Hogwarts was to find something which she could use to get the woman and her two followers kicked out, so that she could take the DADA position for herself and finally put the school on the right track! Unfortunately, the same reason she couldn't get anywhere she might find the proof she needed against Dumbledore kept her from finding any against those three. She simply wasn't allowed into the places that held any!

Still, Dolores Umbridge wasn't the type to give up, especially when there were pureblood citizens to protect! It was how she managed to get her bills, that kept dangerous non-humans out of their cities, passed so long ago and she wasn't going to allow Dumbledore and Potter to ruin all of their hard work in creating the society of happy magicals!

Still, Potter himself was just as much a threat as Dumbledore was. Oh the ministry's reporting on his problems and troubled history was cutting down on his believers and keeping the peace. However, when she tried to shut him up for good with some Dementors the plan backfired quite spectacularly. Two were sent out, but only one came back, and what her contact in Azkaban said, it was ranting and raving about some kind of armored monster that killed it's comrade. Even worse, the Ministry of Magical Law Enforcement had clues to the event which all but exonerated Potter for his actions that day. If Amelia Bones ever managed to connect the attack back to her, she could kiss her freedom and her reputation goodbye. Not even Fudge would be able to bail her out, no matter how much he would deny any accusations towards her. Most ministry officials could be 'convinced' to look the other way, especially when certain favors could be done for them in return. Amelia Bones was not one of them.

Still, however Potter managed to kill a Dementor, he had to be stopped before he caused any more chaos with his blatant lies and attention-seeking. If he could kill a Dementor, it was now more important than ever to stop him. _Obviously_ there had to be some dark magic involved to pull off something like that. Of course, no one even considered that, seeing that, despite the ministry's attempts to bring his mental instability to light , Harry Potter was still The-Boy-Who-Lived, and such a lot of people wouldn't believe he could do something so dark no matter how much the ministry tried to tell the truth.

Well, it was only a matter of time before the truth was revealed.

Then Potter and Dumbledore would burn for their lies.

* * *

><p><strong>Gryffindor Common Room<strong>

Harry and Hermione were having a meeting in the common room, alone with their Servants. Archer had only just returned from a scuffle with Servant Assassin, who seemed to have tried to kill Professor Tohsaka only a short time ago. From what the green bowman said, the woman had stood up for herself rather admirably, actually forcing the female killer back before Archer arrived and decided to lend a hand. What worried the trio and their Servants though was the fact that their DADA teacher knew about the Holy Grail War and about Servants. So the Golden Trio of Gryffindor were trying to brainstorm and figure out what this may mean for them.

Since nobody else was in the common room at the late hour, the three students had managed to grab some prime seating by the fireplace which would, on the off chance that someone came down, allow the crackling flames to cover their words as long as they were quiet enough. Saber had taken a protective position behind Harry, his armor blending into the shadows the flames cast, and even the sections they did light up looked more like they were absorbing the light than being illuminated by it. Archer was sitting on a footrest, still picking his teeth with an arrowhead.

"OK, so Prof. Tohsaka and likely her assistants know about the Grail War," said Hermione worriedly, trying to get her thoughts in order.

"Well, I wouldn't be surprised," said Archer. "The Association are well aware of the War. It's not a big deal unless they interfere."

"But that's just the thing!" Hermione insisted. "The Magus Association and The Ministry of Magic hate each other! All of the research I did into their organization told me that the Ministry considers the Association to be filled with heretics who stray from the teachings of Merlin while the Association considers the Ministry to be filled with stagnant and ignorant fools who just aren't going to amount to anything magically! There's no way the Ministry would allow someone from the Association anywhere near Hogwarts!"

It took a fair bit of Harry's self control not to snort at the mention of Merlin and how Magical Britain seemed to worship the man. Saber, or rather Lancelot, had regaled his Master on the magus who was so famous even muggles knew about him. Lancelot had explained that Merlin had something of an odd sense of humor and would constantly cause chaos in Camelot for the sake of having something to do. Hearing about the many strange pranks the old man would play made Harry realize just where the complete lack of common sense in the wizarding world had come from. Honestly, hearing about a man who according to Lancelot gave a woman working male nether-bits just to see what would happen had to have a few screws loose. Too bad the Ministry had to follow his loopy thought processes so closely when it came to the important things.

"Well…" Ron began. "Didn't you say that there was supposed to be some kind of referee or something for this Holy Grail War? Maybe she hid her past to get into Hogwarts so she could do her job?"

Hermione blinked and pondered the option, but then she shook her head, "No, that doesn't make sense. How would she even know that so many of the Servants would end up here?"

"Don't underestimate the systems behind the Grail Wars," Saber spoke up. "We all received knowledge on this time period and the things concerning it from the Grail when we were summoned. If the Grail recognized this woman as the moderator, then she would also receive knowledge about where the majority of the battles were to take place. She'd know who the Masters are and where the battlefields were to be, as well as the times fights were to begin."

"She seems a bit too young to receive such a responsibility," countered Hermione. "I always thought it'd be someone older, wiser and more experienced. Like Dumbledore."

"Responsibility is not determined by age," Saber retorted. "If one has the talent, the drive, and the work ethic then that is all that is needed to be chosen for a task. You should not be so quick to call one unprepared simply because they do not look like wizened old men or women."

Hermione sighed. Saber had a point there. A person's age didn't really mean much when it came to being a given task. Age didn't equate to experience, after all. As much as she hated to disrespect a teacher, she had to admit that Professor Binns certainly had the age, but it didn't seem to make him any better a teacher. While she thought his history lessons were fascinating, he had a habit of rambling on the subjects he was familiar with rather than the ones the students needed to know. He also wasn't very good at presenting it, what with how the students kept falling asleep during his talks. And that was just someone she respected in Hogwarts, never mind somebody who was supposed to be experienced and in control like the Minister of Magic, which Fudge was clearly not.

Archer sighed and clasped his arrowhead in his hand, apparently finished cleaning his teeth with it, "Well, as long as they don't get in the way, I don't have a problem with them. And that new Professor for your DADA class is quite the looker, so I'd let her slide for now." He finished with an impish grin that made him look all the more related to the Weasley Twins.

Hermione threw a scowl at the redhead, making him chuckle. Even with Archer's comments, her mind was firing, trying to think of something to deal with the situation. Since Professor Tohsaka knew about the Grail War, could that mean she was a Master, or was she the moderator that had yet to make an appearance? If it was the latter, then all of her and Harry's questions could be answered concerning the finer details of their situation. On the other hand, she could very well be the as of yet unknown Master of either Caster, or Rider, or even of Berserker or Lancer. If that was true, then they'd be walking straight into a trap. Since Harry and herself had both insisted that their Servants need not follow them all over the castle during the day, they'd have to rely on their own talents against a legendary figure turned Servant.

With that line of thought, Hermione decided to ask a question, "Archer, if Harry or I were faced with a Servant on our own, how would we best deal with the situation?"

"How?" Archer blinked. "That's easy, run. There's absolutely no way you'd be able to take on one of us and live."

"But…didn't Professor Tohsaka do that?" asked Harry.

"Master, you must understand something," Saber explained. "We Servants are more than just humans who are empowered by magic and hold our Noble Phantasms. We are Heroic Spirits, symbols of strength that people strive for, symbols of hope in times of darkness, symbols of heroism that very few people have ever achieved. We are empowered by our legends and that worship of our names makes us even more powerful, allowing us greater strength, better skill, and more power than we ever had in our lifetimes. We are the enshrined idols people place on a pedestal. We are very much beyond what regular humans are capable of."

"Right," Archer agreed. "You'd have to train yourself to a ridiculous amount or hold some kind of divine skill in order to be able to compete with us for any length of time, much less have a decent shot of winning in a fight."

"But Professor Tohsaka was able to fight Assassin!" Hermione protested.

"Yes, but Assassins are legendary for their ability to kill, defy logic in how they're able to do it, and skills which could be considered supernatural or inhumane," Archer replied, pointing his arrowhead at Hermione. "In short, Assassins are not front-line fighters. They aren't that good at it. They can fight, but their best bet is to simply take out an opponent from behind or some other kind of sneaky trick. Out of any Servant that exists, Assassins are the only ones a fully trained magus may have a chance of surviving against. The rest of us Servants know fully well what battle is like and survived a lot of fights before we joined the Throne of Heroes."

"So we don't stand a chance against a Servant then," Harry slumped.

"Very little, if any at all," Saber nodded, before looking at the group. "Still, if Assassin attacked this woman head on then likely her Master forced her to do it. That would mean whoever that is would be inexperienced in a fight and does not know how to properly use their Servant's skills."

"You think so?" asked Ron. "Bloody hell then we'd have a chance of taking her down then!"

"Do you think it might be one of the students then?" asked Harry. "I mean, all of the teachers are fully trained and went through the first war with Voldemort, so they'd know how to fight. Not very many of the students would know how to do that beyond throwing a hex or two."

"True, but how many students go to Hogwarts?" Hermione reminded her friend. "It would be like trying to find a needle in a haystack, and Assassin could very well try to kill us before we can even find a clue."

"Yet search for a clue we must," Saber nodded. "But in the meantime, you three should try not to make yourselves look suspicious. Assassin likely does not know who any of the other Masters are, so we shouldn't make it look as if her appearance has put us on edge."

"Bit of a risk there isn't it?" asked Archer. "If we follow our Masters astralized Assassin would still be able to see us. Your solution seems to be to hang back and not let anybody know we're sticking with anybody."

"It is a risk," Saber admitted. "But there isn't much Assassin can do during the daylight hours without revealing herself to the school population, and that is something none of us dare risk. After sundown is when we will have to follow our Masters, as with less people around it will be a more preferable time for her to strike."

"True," Hermione sighed. "We'll see how it works in the morning though. I need to go to bed. As important as this is, I do not want it to ruin my grades." Standing up, Hermione headed for the girls dormitories. Archer astralized himself and followed behind her. Saber, Harry, and Ron were left behind to watch the pair go.

"She still needs to sort out her priorities," Ron sighed.

* * *

><p>Assassin leaned back on a tower above the school, allowing the cool night air to wash over her body and at least try to soothe her temper. She was in need of calming; she was annoyed and pissed. As an assassin, her forte was subterfuge and killing without being seen or exposed. She was silent, she was stealthy, and she could kill her target and leave absolutely no trace about how she had done it. However, her current 'Master' didn't seem to understand the concept of stealth and had used her to commit petty revenge which did not go as planned. He had forced her to attack a target neither of them knew anything about and it had all gone very wrong. Her existence in this school for magi had been exposed and now all of the Servants that were residing in the walls were going to be on the lookout for her. All thanks to a spoiled brat she was forced to call her Master that didn't have the first idea just how the Holy Grail War was meant to be fought.<p>

Maybe she would get lucky and he would get killed off. At least her previous Master, as spineless as he was towards Berserker's Master, understood the application of tactics. Hopefully the boy had enough common sense to not pester her with his petty grudges, lest she stab him on principle.

* * *

><p>The next day was particularly dreary as rain moved in during the previous night. For once, to Harry's pleasant surprise, the daily gossip wasn't in fact about him and his apparent mental maladies, but more focused on how one of the hallways had apparently been destroyed with what looked like some kind of explosive spells. Many of the students merely put it down as one of Peeves' pranks to kick off the new school year. Some of the Slytherin students reported that the Bloody Baron gave him hell for it, but the poltergeist proclaimed his innocence (although he would like to shake the hand of who actually did it). The Slytherins then tried to paint Harry as the one who did it in a fit of delusion, but since Harry had been in the Gryffindor Tower all night, that quickly died out.<p>

Harry cast his glance up at the Teacher's Table to see how the resident authorities were handling everything. McGonagall was whispering to Dumbledore about something and looking quite uneasy about it. At the far end Umbridge was smirking to herself like a cat who had just spotted a canary and was all but poised to try and nab it. Likely she had managed to get wind of what happened and was now trying to figure out how to use it to discredit Dumbledore even further. Most of Harry's attention though was aimed on the spaces filled by Professors Grubby-Plank and Tohsaka along with her assistants. Hagrid had yet to return and it was making Harry uneasy, especially with current events such as Voldemort's return and the Holy Grail War. Professor Tohsaka on the other hand was as cool as could be with the rumors flying about, eating her breakfast as if she hadn't been in a fight against a legendary killer. Mr. Emiya and Miss Pendragon were just as relaxed, either they hadn't been told about what their employer had gone through or they did and were playing it cool as well.

"Umbridge is going to eat this up," Ron muttered. "Look at her, she's looking like she's just been confirmed for the Order of Merlin."

"She's been asking all of the students questions," Neville spoke up. "She's been telling them to go right to her if someone starts talking about Voldemort. She's all but asking them to spy on you Harry."

"Figures," Harry sighed, once again feeling his irritation grow at the lengths the government would go to so they could avoid dealing with the issues and instead stew in their own outdated ideals and practices.

"Best ignore it for now," Hermione offered before looking at Harry. "We have _other_ concerns at the moment."

"Right, right," the bespectacled wizard agreed.

Breakfast ended soon enough, and everyone headed off for their classes. Once again the teachers seemed determined to prepare them for their OWL exams by any means necessary. McGonagall actually began teaching them Vanishing Spells, which were likely going to be the most difficult spell to learn and be tested on during their examinations. Hermione was the only one who could pull it off, but Ron swore his snail, the target of practice, had gotten paler. Harry hadn't even gotten far enough to even say that.

Care of Magical Creatures rolled around and Harry was half-dreading it. On one hand, Hagrid wasn't going to be there and it just never felt the same to him without the friendly half-giant. Of course, they had to take the class with the Slytherins and ever since they started it in their third year, Malfoy never missed an opportunity to make some snide remark about how bad a teacher Hagrid was. Of course the little ponce's masterpiece in the class was when he insulted a Hippogriff even after Hagrid warned his students quite clearly that it was the absolute worst thing to do. As expected, Malfoy got injured and then went whining to daddy to get poor Buckbeak lined up for execution all the while milking an injury for weeks when Madam Pomfrey had likely healed it in a heartbeat.

The class met near Hagrid's cabin like always, meeting Professor Grubby-Plank. Of course Saber and Archer were following as they were, but were hanging back further than usual, keeping hidden as if they were visible to prevent any other Servants from guessing who their Masters were. The woman stood next to a long trestle table that seemed to be filled to the brim with piles of twigs. The Slytherins arrived as usual with Malfoy in the middle, surrounded by his band of suck-ups, a proud Prefect badge attached to the front of his robes. He looked like he was about to come in with a swagger as always, but when he got close enough he seemed to just slow his pace and began looking around. Harry raised an eyebrow, wondering what had snapped Malfoy out of his usual boundless arrogance. His entourage seemed likewise confused as Pansy gripped his arm and began asking him if he was alright.

"Heh, look at him," Ron grinned. "The git's probably afraid to get close in case something bites him."

"If only we were so lucky," Harry muttered.

"Right, is this everyone then?" asked Grubby-Plank. "Good. Now can anyone tell me what these are?"

Predictably, Hermione's hand went up with a few other. Pansy made a hopping motion with her front teeth sticking out pretending to be an insulting version of Hermione. Plenty of the Slytherins got a chuckle out of it but Pansy promptly shrieked when the bundles of twigs stood up to be revealed as small humanoid creatures with long harp fingers, bark-like skin, beetle eyes, and flat faces.

"Miss Granger?"

"Bowtruckles," Hermione answered. "Tree guardians. You can usually find them living in wand trees, and they are fiercely protective of them."

"Five points for Gryffindor," Grubby-Plank smiled. "Now can anyone tell-By Merlin!"

The teacher's sudden outcry came when the Bowtruckles all stiffened as if shocked before promptly leaping off the table and running in a certain direction. The majority of the students were certainly confused about the sudden charge of the Bowtruckles when they had been so docile before. Harry and Hermione on the other hand thought their hearts stopped when the Bowtruckles charged straight towards Archer and Saber who were hanging back from the class, concealing themselves from all manner of sight near some of the trees. The tactic would allow Saber and Archer to protect their Masters, but not reveal just who those Masters were in such a large gathering of students.

The Bowtruckles ran straight up to Saber and just seem too pool around him and look up at him as if they were looking at some kind of statue of some sort.

"_Friendly little fellows aren't they?_" Archer chuckled. "_Looks like they like you._"

"_Hn,_" Saber sighed.

It took Harry a moment to stop panicking, but then he remembered why the Bowtruckles might react to Saber like they did. Lancelot of the Lake had been raised by the Lady of the Lake before discovering his name and joining Camelot's court. He had been exposed to magic of some of the most powerful all his life, Fae Magic. He'd been raised around it and lived it. His own sword was crafted by the fae to be similar to that of Excalibur. It made sense why magical creatures would be so interested in him.

Why did they have to do it now though?

"Oh...I suppose they just wanted to examine the tree," Grubby-Plank murmured. "Well, I was going to hand them out for you all to care for anyway. May as well go and pick one."

Harry stepped forward towards the Bowtruckles and knelt down with his right hand out, palm up to them. It was a peaceful and inviting gesture towards the creature. They all gazed upon Harry. One gingerly stepped forward and placed its hand upon his. Sensing no ill intent, the Bowtruckle then climbed onto Harry's hand. With a smile, he gently lifted the creature up to return to the class area for the professor's instruction. The Bowtruckle then climbed up Harry's arm to sit upon his shoulder.

"Ah, well done Mr. Potter," Grubby-Plank praised. "You seem to have a way with Bowtuckles."

"Thanks," Harry nodded, but he wasn't sure if it had anything to do with his own skills or if the Bowtruckles could somehow sense he was connected to Saber.

The class was smooth after that. The Bowtruckles were friendly, or at least indifferent so long as the students didn't try anything foolish with them. Some scratches were made on a student or two when the tree guardians were gripped a little too tightly. For all her teasing and arrogance, Pansy was having enough trouble just holding one without grabbing Malfoy's arm for security, only enhancing her spoiled little girl persona.

For once, Harry was feeling good about his school day.

* * *

><p><strong>History of Magic<strong>

When Ginny had started at Hogwarts, she hadn't been prepared to really believe her brothers about everything that went on in its halls. After all, Fred and George were notorious pranksters who had purposefully messed with Ron about the house sorting before he went to Hogwarts. Heck, she was even able to guess that wrestling a troll was a ridiculous way to sort kids into houses.

One thing which her older brothers told her that unfortunately turned out to be true was Professor Binns and his extremely boring lectures which didn't quite go anywhere. She'd been taking History of Magic for four years now and she never really learned a whole lot of anything beyond giant wars, goblin rebellions, some of the weirder wizards that showed up in history, and maybe some more riots by various other magical breeds. Mostly Ginny just studied the historic periods she needed to know with Luna's help since Binns seemed to keep gravitating towards the periods he seemed most connected to. Maybe death addled him more than he thought?

In any case, the period Ginny sat in that class was usually used to catch up on some of her homework. In this particular case, Ginny was still reading through the book Hermione had let her borrow, the one she had used to get that array drawn that allowed her to take up Archer. Ginny had used the excuse that she wanted the book to read up on the different views of magic of the Magus Association, but Ginny's interest was focused solely on the summoning magic which had brought out Saber and Archer.

Ginny wasn't dense or ignorant, even if the majority of her brothers felt that as the youngest they needed to keep her out of the loop on some of the things that were going on in their lives. As a result, she knew the signs of when someone was trying to hide something from her. Ever since Hermione and Harry showed up in Grimmauld with Saber and Archer in tow, they had been hiding something important. It was pretty big too with how much Harry and Hermione seemed to steal away to discuss things when they had a chance. If had been Harry's upcoming trial, he would have been talking more with the others to try and get ideas on how to beat the charges that were obviously trumped up by Fudge's corrupted regime. Something else was up and only Hermione seemed to know about it; unless you counted Saber and Archer.

Reading the instructions on constructing a summoning array, she knew that the knight and bowman had something to do with the weird things going on lately. Maybe if she tried her hand at summoning she could figure out just what that was.

* * *

><p><strong>Herbology Greenhouse<strong>

Luna was busy working in her Herbology lesson, dealing with some of the exotic magical plants. The class was always interesting, even if it didn't involve Crumple-Horned Snorkacks. Of course, having Caster in the class made things ever so much easier to understand.

Caster's very presence seemed to make the plants more docile. The Mandrakes which Professor Sprout had been caring for periodically in case of repeated events such as second year were continuously poking their heads out of their pots to gasp at where Caster normally was but then burrow back down when he would glance at them. Plants such as the Venemous Tentacula were as docile as puppies and a small batch of them actually snapped at one another for his attention. Caster had explained that his connection to the natural world made its residents more amicable towards his presence. He called it a Marble Phantasm, getting Luna interested in researching just what that meant.

"So you managed to find a secret chamber?" asked Luna, once again working alone since her schoolmates thought her too Loony to be any help in lessons.

"_I did. I believe it is the Chamber of Secrets which you mentioned during your stories about your previous school years,_" Caster nodded, tapping the leaves of a Mandrake and making it giggle despite being in his spectral form. Nature had a way of perceiving things that humans could not or would not notice.

"How exciting," Luna smiled, carefully pruning her Popping Cactus' thorns. The thorns were excellent for hot spices but getting them could be difficult since the plants were notorious for exploding when mistreated, throwing their thorns in all directions. Thankfully Caster's presence was soothing them. "Imagine the secrets Salazar Slytherin left behind?"

"_A Magi's workshop usually holds a plethora of secrets. It's very rare to get into one unless you either kill the magi or are their apprentice. It would be best to solidify our position there and perhaps gain some advantages with anything this Salazar left behind. If nothing else, it would be a perfect place to hide you if things become...unfavorable._"

"Maybe, maybe," Luna nodded. "Plenty of time for that later though. I still need to work on that article about your adventure with her majesty's nephew."

"_Yes, yes,_" Caster chuckled. "_After your classes though. Now pay attention before you irritate your plant and it pumps you full of thorns._"

"Yes, yes," Luna smiled.

* * *

><p><strong>Hallway<strong>

Arturia heaved a sigh as she sat at the windowsill in one of the upper floor hallways, giving her a wonderful view of the Hogwarts grounds and some of the classes which were going on down below. Hogwarts had been a nostalgic place for her, bringing her memories of Merlin and some of her more pleasant days of Camelot. Even the suits of armor bowing to her or the portraits giving her due respect if they came from the right time period was another reminder of her days of ruling Britain.

Learning of Lancelot's return served to put her in emotional turmoil. Her guilt in his situation still ate at her, but seeing him again made it all more consuming. When she discovered his identity as Berserker during the Fourth War, she had been willing to let him kill her if it would have helped him ease his guilt over their personal tragedy. Had his master not run out of magic when he did, Arturia was sure that Lancelot would have killed her. Having him die in her arms seemed to bring him some solace, but it broke her heart to know he wouldn't remember it. Still, after everything she dealt with in the Fourth and then Fifth Holy Grail Wars she thought that perhaps she would be permitted to put her past behind her. It seemed that she would have to face it once more. The only saving graces she could think of was that Lancelot was not the Berserker, and she was not one of the combatants in the Grail War this time.

"Praise be to small mercies," she murmured softly to herself. Still, now what was she going to do? She could not ignore the threat of the Grail War taking place with so many children about. There was also the fact that the Grail was still corrupted. She couldn't permit that kind of foul evil to be born into the world. Of course, it was unlikely that all of the Masters would be willing to listen. The Grail's power was incredibly tempting, and not many would be willing to give up on it simply because someone said it was tainted. On the other hand, Archer's rescuing of Rin may have been a sign of his Master permitting him leeway, a sign of trust between Master and Servant. At the very least, Archer's master may be willing to listen if they could find out who that was.

Broadening her senses, Saber tried to pinpoint where any Servants may be in Hogwarts. Unfortunately, all she could really sense was the magical equivalent to static. Unlike that night in the Great Hall where Saber had sensed the battle in progress, this time all Servants that may be in Hogwarts were conserving their prana and thus not turning themselves into beacons of magical power. Unlike Fuyuki which was so modern and mundane it made sensing Servants easy, Hogwarts was steeped in so much magic with the ghosts, the students misfiring spells, the various trinkets the teachers had, and even the enchantments woven into the very castle itself, it muddled Saber's senses to an extent. Should a Servant begin throwing their power around then she would be able to sense it as clear as day, but when they were lying low then she likely wouldn't sense them and would have to rely on her eyes to try and spot them. It made finding the combatants in the War harder, as if being in the building while knowing Assassin was there wasn't hard enough.

'_Stay in the present_' Arturia mentally commanded herself. '_Assassin can be dealt with. You just need to be diligent and observant. You know that she is here so she has lost one advantage already. She will not be in a rush to lose another._'

"Um...Miss Pendragon?"

Arturia blinked, snapped out of her thoughts before turning to see who had spoken. The source was a pair of students, ones she remembered from some of the classes she and Shirou would assist Rin in. The pair were easy to remember since they giggled a lot in class, usually when they could get a good look at Shirou or when Rin would make one of her lectures.

"Miss Patil. Miss Brown," Arturia nodded. "Can I help you?"

"Well," Lavender spoke up. "We were on our way to Defense when we saw you at the window. We were kind of hoping to ask you a few questions while we walked."

Arturia blinked before looking up to a nearby clock, "Hm. It seems time had gotten away on me. Very well. I will try to answer what questions you have. Please try to remember that my area of expertise is slightly different from your teacher's though."

"Oh yes!" both girls nodded with smiles.

* * *

><p><strong>Dumbledore's Office<strong>

Albus was at the moment busy sending out missives and letters to his various contacts. Half of them were inquiries into Voldemort's movements and activities. Unfortunately, he had received no news on that front. Tom had been keeping his head down to prevent the Ministry from trying to deal with him before he was ready. Speaking of the Ministry, that was what the other half of his letters were about. Fudge's paranoia, denial, and bigotry was causing the man to be completely irrational and make all sorts of plots to try and 'cull' Dumbledore's influence. It seemed he was in the process of trying to make several new edicts to apply mainly to fields that Dumbledore had his hands it.

Albus could only shake his head as he read over the letters from his friends and contacts in the Ministry. Fudge was of course making up all sorts of reasons for his attempts at passing all sorts of new rulings and such, but ones who knew politics, like Dumbledore, could easily tell that Fudge was scrambling to collect as much power as he could so he wouldn't have people questioning him or doubting his ability as a leader.

The venerable Headmaster really should have expected this outcome when Tom managed to pull his return. Cornelius had always put too much stock into purity of blood and never liked looking at a worst-case scenario when he could just ignore it and have someone else deal with it instead. Dumbledore had hoped that with all of the advice that the Minister would ask him for he could perhaps bring Fudge to a better way of thinking, but it seemed that the man's belief in purebloods and the power of gold swayed his decisions in just about everything. Once Fudge got that silver spoon into his mouth he was bound and determined to keep it there by any means necessary, even if it meant being one of the most corrupt ministers that the Wizengamot had ever seen.

Current events weren't helping Dumbldore's current crisis though. Someone or something was destroying portions of Hogwarts in some kind of battle, or perhaps just out of maliciousness. They managed to get the Great Hall repaired before Dolores Umbridge learned that something was wrong, and merely played it off as a student's beginning of the year pranks. Although her demands for..._strict_ punishment with that gleam in her eyes certainly did not give Dumbledore any false notions of the woman's idea of leniency. Unfortunately, she did manage to discover the destruction in the hallway. She didn't make any grand announcements, but the gleam in her eyes was more telling than anything showy she could have done. It was quite plain that she intended to alert the minister of what happened, possibly to use it as ammunition for Fudge to begin implanting more of his edicts on Hogwarts.

What was confusing Dumbledore was _why_ this random destruction was happening. There was no apparent goal to it since the events never ended up anywhere near places where Harry, or any other person of interest, would be found in the late night. The destruction seemed more like collateral instead of anything intentional. If it was intruders of any sort, the wards of the school would have alerted the headmaster to their presence. If it was students in league with the Death Eaters (Merlin forbid) then the portraits and ghosts would have seen something happening and report it. Instead, all of the entities in Hogwarts simply denied seeing anything although Dumbledore was sure they must know something. Still, Albus prided himself on having his wits even after all these years. There were several new faces in Hogwarts that may or may not have had a role in this current mess. He had little reason to doubt Miss Tohsaka or her assistants. Zelretch may have been a meddling coot with one of the strangest senses of humor he had ever seen, but he wasn't so bored with the world that he'd allow someone with malicious tendencies to become his apprentice. Well, not that bored as of yet. The only other suspects he had were the mysterious figures of Saber and Archer who were steadfast in protecting Harry and Hermione.

Dumbledore of course knew about the pair and also some of the things they did in the time they were in Grimmauld Place. He knew how Archer and Saber seemed to be able to penetrate the wards around their headquarters, but also how Saber seemed to take numerous curses, stunners, and jinxes head on without any sort of effect. Archer confessed to have a lesser amount of protection against magic. He also knew about the debacle outside the Ministry of Magic with a figure he was told was called Rider.

He strongly suspected that Harry and Hermione knew what was going on. For whatever reason it was, neither of them were willing to talk about it. Dumbledore didn't blame Harry for it, having been avoiding the young lad for some time now, but with Voldemort's bond with him likely so much stronger now that he returned, he didn't want to risk Harry being turned into an unintentional assassin who would try to kill the venerable headmaster. With Umbridge in the school, she would make sure Harry would be sent to Azkaban and wouldn't bother with a trial, much like with Sirius. What surprised Dumbledore though was that Hermione didn't come forth to volunteer what she knew about what was going on. Hermione was usually fully behind the Order's operations as well as protecting and helping Harry however she could. Naturally this situation had something to do with Harry so why was Hermione not trying to get Harry to come forward, or come forward herself?

Normally Dumbledore was one who believed that forcing students to admit to something always made helping them much more difficult. Unfortunately, the situation was not permitting Dumbledore to go with his usual methods of having his students trust him and come forward. Two parts of the school were highly damaged and it was only fortune that made sure that no one had been hurt. The ones responsible were still in the school or nearby and for the good of all had to be stopped.

Dumbledore hated using Legilimency on people, even when he had no other option, but this was for the greater good...

* * *

><p><strong>Hallways<strong>

Ginny walked through the hallways, hoping that her Potions class wouldn't be _too_ horrible before the day's end so she could get to work on her personal pet project. She had managed to swipe some chalk from Professor Binns' classroom so to have something to actually draw the circle she needed on her workspace. The ghost didn't really use it and instead used a spectral stick which had been in his pocket when he died and thus remained with him in death. The book had mentioned that certain materials were better conduits for magic, they called it _prana_, then others. Metals were some of the best, but things like blood and chalk worked just as well. Not wanting to repeat what she did in first year to the roosters or other animals she decided chalk would just have to be good enough.

Ginny had it all planned out in her head. She needed a large and empty place to draw the circle, as it needed to be a certain size. Apparently numbers were just as important as symbols. Measurements that all had the same numbers were some of the factors which helped in ritualistic spells. She would have to get some Arithmancy-tools to make sure she got everything right. Something this important she didn't want to screw up. It seemed like a complicated spell to do and she'd only get one shot at it during the night. She had everything else she needed, except that she didn't have an empty space for the task, but an empty classroom would likely help with that.

'_Just a few hours and I can get to work,_' she reminded herself, steeling herself for Snape's classes once again.

* * *

><p><strong>Ravenclaw Common Room<strong>

The classes finally ended and Luna returned to her room to reflect on the day's lessons as well as check her notes. She was the portrait of calm even when some of her housemates would try to mock her for her belief in creatures no one else believed in. When they tried though, they would suddenly find rugs they were on would shift from people stepping on it and they would trip. Others would be sitting in perfectly good chairs that would inexplicably break, dropping them to the floor. One or two by the fire would suddenly discover cinders landing in their notes, which could catch fire and destroy the parchment the Ravenclaws used to record their precious notes.

"You're rather vindictive, aren't you?" Luna noted, reading her notes. "Thank you for the thought though."

"_I am a firm believer in an eye for an eye,_" Caster replied, twisting his ax on the ground. Luna easily noticed, being quite observant, despite what people thought. Caster was usually as patient as a stone and not prone to fidgeting. If he moved, he usually had a reason for it.

"You seem agitated," she whispered. "Did their words make you angry?"

"_I care not what children say so long as they are punished for their rudeness,_" Caster shook his head. "_I feel...something in the air. Something is going to happen very soon, and I believe it will have an impact on the Grail War._"

"Oh?" Luna looked up. "Do you think it will be another Servant, or perhaps the moderator?"

"_I cannot say,_" Caster shook his head. "_All I am sure of is that a change is in the wind and will be upon us soon._"

"How exciting," Luna smiled.

* * *

><p><strong>Gryffindor Common Room<strong>

The day came to a close and dinner had been served and eaten before the students began heading to bed for some late night reading, or finishing up their homework. The fifth years were already dreading the amount of homework they had to deal with and the OWLs which were oh so far away. The seventh years were in a similar state for their NEWTs. Students were still up in some cases, but they weren't that way for long.

Ginny had been patient though and waited for her housemates to fall asleep. Once she was sure that no one would notice her absence, she got out of bed and pulled on some clothes. Quietly, she collected the book Hermione lent her as well as her Arithmancy tools. Packing them into her schoolbag, she headed down the stairs and into the common room. Glancing about, she saw no one was there. Although she knew that Saber and Archer could make themselves invisible, she just hoped that neither of them were in the common room to rat her out. Darting across the room, she gently opened the door so not to disturb the Fat Lady too badly before stepping out and gently closing the door.

"Ah, finally someone with a little courtesy," the Fat Lady yawned, almost making Ginny shriek in surprise. Apparently unaware of the shock she induced, the portrait continued, "I appreciate your politeness, but I was already awake. Still, I won't make you wait unnecessarily once you come back from your 'appointment'," she finished with a giggle. "I won't tell a soul either."

"Ah...thank you," Ginny mumbled before she began running down the halls.

Ginny kept a sharp eye out for any patrolling teachers, ghosts, or worse, Filch and Mrs. Norris. At least the ghosts in some cases would let you go on your way if they saw you out late at night, though others would be quick to scold you and turn you in for being out of bed after hours. Still, Ginny had both first and second-hand experiences from her brothers and her own wanderings now and then after dark. She knew her way around the school well enough to not get lost anyway.

"Now where can I find an empty classroom?" she frowned to herself. She couldn't use a classroom that was likely going to be in use anytime soon. Someone would likely find evidence of what she did. Getting caught doing something like this wasn't on Ginny's list of priorities. Being out of bed was bad enough, but she wasn't sure what would happen if she got caught using magic like this summoning array she planned to make.

Traversing the hallways and hiding herself in the shadows twice, thinking she saw Filch or Mrs. Norris at the end of the hallway, Ginny found herself in a wing of the school she didn't often find herself in. Usually she'd just travel through it to another one of her classes. Still, she didn't specifically recall any classes actually taking part in that particular area. Ginny immediately began checking the doors to see where they went. Two of them were just walls pretending to be doors and thought it was funny to fool her, one was a broom closet, three were locked, but she finally opened one to find a classroom with desks piled up under white sheets, possibly a room used by the previous DADA teacher that had yet to be cleared out completely, or no one bothered since the turnover rate was so high.

"Perfect!" Ginny grinned.

Sliding inside, she gently shut the door to avoid catching the attention of anything wandering around, be it ghost or portrait. After holding her ear to the door and silently cursing the fact that she hadn't had the foresight to bring an Extendable Ear, she was satisfied that no one was coming down the hallways. She moved to the center of the room and immediately began pushing some of the desks away to make space for herself. The circle was going to be big and she was going to need the room to draw it.

With the desks pushed to the sides, Ginny unpacked her back and began pulling out her Arithmancy measuring tools and the chalk she swiped from Binns. She quickly set to work, marking out the points of the circle before doing her damn best to connect the points to make the best circle she could. Her measuring tools helped her get the size right, all of the measurements being the same number. When she felt she had the outer circle made properly, she took her borrowed book and opened it to the page with her chosen circle in it so she could begin copying it onto the wooden floor of the classroom. She was slightly worried that the gaps between the floorboards would impede her work, but the gaps were not as large as she feared, making the details of the circle able to be drawn without interruption.

Getting onto her knees to begin the detail, she felt a sharp pain in her thigh. Shifting on the spot and trying not to yelp, Ginny reached into her pocket and pulled out one of the few pieces of jewelry she owned. The item looked like a blue scarab set in gold with wings spreading from the sides and a red circle on the scarab's head. It was an Egyptian amulet that Bill had found in one of the tombs he raided for Gringotts. He swore that it was curse-free, which was good enough for her considering his profession. Who it belonged to he wasn't sure since the tomb he found it in was raided by muggles ages ago and the necklace was part of a cache which had been hidden deeper in the tomb where the previous raiders hadn't been able to get to. Unfortunately, the name of the tomb's owner had been lost. Still, Ginny was quite fond of the piece and carried it around even if she had been too shy to actually wear it.

"Forgot that was in there," she sighed, setting the ancient piece down next to the circle. She quickly got back to work, transferring as many of the details from the book onto the floor as possible. The work was hard and before long she was sweating, both from the combined effort and the nerves she felt whenever it sounded like something was walking down the halls. It was way more complicated then drawing a picture of an animal or recreating a diagram for one of her classes. Detail wasn't such a big deal for notes or the little tasks in class where the worst one could expect was some missing house points or a lowered grade. If she got the details wrong in the circle, it may very well blow up in her face, and she was rather fond of her face where it was; thank you very much!

It took her an hour before she was satisfied and the chalk was worn down to a nub. She had to erase certain parts and do them over because she felt the lines weren't straight enough or she missed a detail. Still, she finally managed to complete the circle and feel like she did a commendable job at it. Personally, she felt she owed her success to watching Fred and George try to forge signatures of their teachers or parents for so many years. That was probably where she got her attention to detail.

Standing up and getting the feeling back into her legs, Ginny grabbed the book and began reading over the incantation which was inscribed on the pages next to the circle. Reading instructions, she stepped up to the circle and held out her right hand towards it.

"_Silver and Iron to the Origin. Gem and the Archduke of Contracts to the Cornerstone. The Ancestor is my Great Master Schweinorg.  
>The Alighted Wind becomes a Wall. The Gates in the Four Directions close, coming from the Crown, the Three-Forked Road that leads to the Kingdom Circulate.<br>Shut (fill). Shut (fill). Shut (fill). Shut (fill). Shut (fill).  
>Repeat every Five Times.<em>"

'_Merlin this spell's long,_' Ginny thought to herself. Length of the spell aside, she could feel it beginning to work. Fire raced through her body, tracing lines up and down her limps, through her chest, and making a fireball where her heart was. It was like she could _feel_ her magic coursing through her body. It hurt, it hurt more than most pains she felt in her life, like something was actually trying to force her to quit what she was doing, trying to pressure her into stopping. At the same time though, something kept pushing her to continue, like she was breaking some important rule but was getting away with it anyway out of sheer peer pressure.

In front of her, the chalk lines began to glow a pale silver, much beyond what moonlight could do to the color white. The air began to stir into wind, despite no windows being open, making the sheets covering the desks flutter. Still, Ginny pressed on, knowing that she had to get involved in whatever Harry and Hermione were up to with Saber and Archer. That thought allowed her to push on despite the heat and pain.

_"Simply, shatter once filled.  
>I announce.<br>Your Self is under Me, my Fate(doom) is in Your Sword.  
>In accordance with the Resort of the Holy Grail, if you abide by this Feeling, this Reason, then Answer.<br>Here is my Oath. I am the One who becomes all the Good of the World of the Dead, I am the One who lays out all the Evil of the World of the Dead.  
>You, Seven Heavens clad in Three Words of Power, arrive from the Ring of Deterrence, O Keeper of the Balance!"<em>

The final words seemed to trigger a reaction. The burning in Ginny's body centered down into her outstretched hand, bringing a red light to the girl's eyes, before the light from the circle rose up into a pillar that turned the room bright white and almost blinded her. In hindsight, she wouldn't have doubted that creatures in the Forbidden Forest had seen the light from the Hogwarts windows. A tearing noise came through her ears, but if it was something actually tearing or her own eardrums Ginny wasn't sure as a wave of force knocked her onto her bottom with a grunt. The wind whipped wildly, causing the sheets to fly in all directions like victims of a tornado. As quickly as the chaos of the spell came though, it ended; leaving Ginny blinded and rubbing her eyes. The taste of smoke was in the air, making her cough in her attempt to breathe.

"Should have *cough* opened a window!" she gagged, getting her breath back. Shaking her head, her eardrums rang from the noise that the spell created while her hand still burned. Rubbing the back of it, she looked down as her eyes adjusted to see red markings looking like a hieroglyph image of a scarab with feathered wings, the scarab itself, and the circle above its head. Running her fingers along the markings, Ginny discovered to her horror that they weren't going away.

"Mum's going to kill me," she groaned.

Standing up in the smoke-filled room, Ginny was ready to run before Filch arrived, no matter how much her body ached. Well, that was until...

"I, Servant Avenger have broken the rules of the Holy Grail War to ask of you...are you my Master?"

Ginny blinked and looked up, realizing that she was not alone in the room anymore. In front of her was someone who had definitely not been there before, and hadn't gotten inside through the door or the windows. That someone was in fact, female. Her hair was colored dark obsidian which came down to her shoulders and was as straight and smooth as a river. Her eyes were an emerald green which stood out against her bronze skin. She first appeared to be of Arabic descent, but a deeper examination of her features would reveal a mix between Arabic and Mediterranean features, of which she quite obviously got the best of both. A golden hoop rested on her head, keeping her hair from her face, decorated on the front of a scarab filled with blue precious stones with bird wings coming out of its sides. Her eyes were decorated with mascara, making them resemble the famous eye hieroglyphs of Egypt. Her torso was covered by golden metal which fit her snugly and accented her gifted figure, but decorated with another image of a winged scarab near her collarbone, and lines of hieroglyphs. Her arms were bare, save for golden bracelets studded with precious stones. In one hand was a long spear decorated with a golden snake circling around it, ending in a sharp point coming out of the snake's mouth. Around her waist she wore a simple white linen skirt which was open at the sides so to allow her legs free movement, her feet protected by simple sandals with straps that wrapped up her legs. Draped on her shoulder was one of the sheets from the desk, making her appear regal as she looked at Ginny with amused anticipation.

Ginny couldn't help but gape. "Bloody hell..."

To Be Continued...

* * *

><p>(OMAKE!)<p>

**TAIGA DOJO PREVIEW!**

"ORYAAAAAAHHHHH!" the kendoka-clad form of Taiga Fujimura screamed as she leaped onto the scene of the Emiya Dojo (which she commandeered) swinging her infamous kendo sword as she went. "FINALLY! I MAKE MY GLORIOUS APPEARANCE INTO THIS STORY!"

"Not so glorious if you ask me," a bloomer-clad Illyasviel von Einzbern commented, following her teacher.

"Of course it's glorious! Fate/Stay Night just isn't the same without ME!" Taiga insisted. "I'm even in Fate/Extra!"

"Ha! Yeah right! I'm an iconic character!" Ilya insisted, huffing while crossing her arms. "I was in Fate/Stay Night AND Fate/Zero! Not to mention in Hollow Ataraxia and my own manga series where I'm a magical girl!"

"GRR! I WAS IN ATARAXIA TOO! I think...I should be..." Taiga mumbled.

"Looks like someone didn't check his sources," Ilya giggled, pointing at the screen. "Shame on you Ten-Faced Paladin! Shame! On! You!"

"Sorry," a kneeling figure wearing ten masks on his head, chest, and arms sitting in a corner spoke, complete with a guilty dark cloud over his head.

"Who's that guy?" Taiga blinked at the figure. Shaking her head, she continued. "Anyway it's about time Paladin got off his butt and updated this story! Going so long without an update is just cruel! Cruel I tell you!"

"Sorry," the masked man mumbled again.

"It couldn't have been that long, could it?" asked Ilya.

"IT WAS SEVEN MONTHS!" Taiga screamed, her voice actually causing Ilya's hair to fly back from the force. "Don't you realize that in fanfiction going seven months without an update is just cruel and unusual mistreatment?-! Think of the fans!"

"It is?" asked Ilya.

"Sorry," the masked man sighed again, the cloud growing bigger.

"Yes!" Taiga nodded in a sage-like manner. "And another thing! Just when the heck and I going to get some face time in this fic huh? I wanna go snog that hottie Sirius Black like Kyugan might let me do in his Herwald von Einzbern stories!"

"I love those stories," Ilya beamed. "I get to live AND I get to have two wonderful brothers!"

"I want my dapper, suave, charming, funny, mysterious, and downright hot Englishman! I want my HOTTIE!" Taiga continued to rant.

"But Sensei," Ilya began. "This story takes place after Fate/Stay Night when Onii-chan, Rin, and Saber all move to England. You're back in Fuyuki. You don't get face time outside of this segment."

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAT?-!" Taiga screamed, her face going into her 'RAWR! Furious' mode. "THAT'S BULLSHIT! I'M NOT GOING TO WASTE MY LIFE AWAY ON PUNKS OJII-SAN WANTS ME TO HOOK UP WITH WHEN MY DASHING MAN IS OVER IN ENGLAND!"

"I don't get face time either," Ilya huffed, covering her ears. "I'm dead!"

"Sorry," the masked man sighed, his cloud starting to rain.

Taiga wasn't listening as she pulled out a cell phone and began dialing a number before bringing it up to her ear, "Hello? Fuyuki International Airport? I want you to book me a ticket to Great Britain as soon as possible! I mean ASAP!"

"This isn't good," Ilya grimaced.

"Ah! You got one? Great! I'm on my way!" Taiga grinned. Hanging up, she reached offscreen before pulling out what looked like a massive over packed suitcase with her kendo sword slipped through the handle. grinning, she ran out of the scene at top speed with a cloud of dust following her. "BWA HA HA HA HA HA HA!"

"This is probably going to turn into an international incident," Ilya groaned. "Oh well. Next Chapter of Fate/Ingens Cor: The Wild Card! Look forward to it. And remember, Ten-Faced Paladin feels bad enough about taking so long so don't flame him or I'll use my Mystic Eyes of Puppies on you!"

"Sorry," the masked man mumbled, a clap of thunder running through his cloud.

"You should be!" Ilya huffed. "Making the poor fans wait!"

"Sorry..."


End file.
